


Training Days

by ShimmerzFanfiction



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Canon Divergence, Death, Foul Language, Hange spelled Hanji, Other, Pretty much the entire cast - Freeform, Um... Derp Hange for the first few chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-02
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-08-28 16:33:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 23,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8453656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShimmerzFanfiction/pseuds/ShimmerzFanfiction
Summary: After an injury leaves Hanji on medical leave, Erwin decides to have her help Shadis out with the 104th Cadet training. Thing is, Hanji doesn't know the first thing about training new recruits. Follow along as she faces screw-ups and ends up making a mess of things.





	1. Cadet Corps

**Author's Note:**

> Attack on Titan story yay, just something I wrote up when I was kind of bored. I love Hanji, she’s my favorite character and well, I just wanted something that was kind of light and airy, didn’t want something too heavy and serious. 
> 
> DISCLAIMER: SHIMMERZ DOES NOT OWN ATTACK ON TITAN. SHIMMERZ HAS GOTTEN TO MEET TRINA NISHIMURA THOUGH. 
> 
> (Also yay, first story on AO3, Though, this is posted on my FF.net account as well.)

**Chapter 1: New Cadets**

 

When she was first assigned to assist in the training of the 104th Cadet Squad Hanji Zoe was put out. She’d managed to injure her leg during a training exercise when her 3DM Gear malfunctioned and instead of getting to continue on experiments or go on missions, Commander Erwin assigned her to assist Shadis with the new Cadets. So, dressed in her borrowed training squad jacket and limping slightly she paced around, sizing up each cadet before Shadis even arrived.

  
“Zoe!” Shadis’s rough voice brought her head up.

  
“Yes sir?” Hanji yelled back, falling into a salute right away, despite her being a higher rank than he was now, he still used to be her Commander.

“Get up here so we can start,” Shadis turned from the brunette and narrowed his eyes at the cadets in front of him. Hanji ran as fast as she could and joined him on the small platform along with two other officers, one from the Military Police and one from the Garrison Squad. Not that the cadets would know that, at until they graduated. Or figured it out, whichever came first. She turned her gaze to the front as Shadis stepped forward. “Straighten those spines piss-ants!” He yelled. Hanji had to prevent herself from laughing.

  
“Seriously?” The man from the Garrison muttered.

  
“The 104th Cadet boot camp starts now!” Shadis said, after letting his eyes slide over to those behind him, fixing them with a glare. “Allow me to introduce myself, I’m Commander Keith Shadis.” There were some twitters from the cadets in front of them, they would know who he was, after all, even if someone looked down on the Survey Corps they’d stay on top of who was running it. “You will grow to hate me! Training is going to be a white knuckle ride through hell! If I’ve done my job right you’ll be waking up in a cold sweat for the rest of your life!”

  
“Huh,” Hanji said suddenly, interrupting Shadis. “Guess my training commander didn’t do that good of a job!” She laughed slightly, oblivious to the killer look she was receiving from Shadis and the disbelieving looks from the cadets. She blinked a few times, realizing that Shadis had grown quiet. “Oh sorry, my bad.” She hung her head, a blush on her cheeks, but a smile still on her face.

  
“Zoe…” Shadis growled, eyes narrowed at the woman. She was brilliant and he knew she was messing with him, but he turned away from her and finished his speech. After taking in the terrified looks of some of the cadets he gestured to the people beside him. “These people here are my assistant training officers, Hanji Zoe,” Hanji stepped forward with a wave and a smile. “Jackson Keels,” the man from the Garrison stepped forward and nodded. “And Hunter Tanner.” The Military Police man stepped forward, pushing his glasses further up his nose and gave a friendly smile just like Hanji. “Their main job is to observe, however during some exercises they will be assigned a team of you lot, and you are to listen to them as if your life depended on it.”

  
“He makes it sound like we’re actually important,” Jackson muttered after Shadis took off to ruin the cadets morning.

  
“Speak for yourself,” Hanji said, her arms behind her head as they walked around the cadets out of their hearing distance. “I’m a major with the Survey Corps.”

“WHAT?” Jackson and Hunter turned to stare at her.

  
“Well yeah,” Hanji said stopping. She tilted her head. “Aren’t you guys in a position of power?”

  
“I’m here because I was caught sleeping during my watch,” Jackson muttered looking down at his boots.

  
“The MPs couldn’t send anyone else,” Hunter said. Hanji hummed and shrugged slightly. “So why are you here then?”

  
“Injured,” she said, her voice filled with annoyance. “I’d much rather be on the other side of the wall, studying titans, capturing titans, finding out what makes them tick!” She hadn’t realized she was yelling until she felt a presence behind her.

  
“Zoe, do you want to do my job?” Shadis voice made Hanji shrink down and look up, slightly scared.

  
“Of course not Shadis sir!” She said, unable to resist the smile that wound up on her face. “No one can crush someone’s spirit better than you can! However if you need some help teaching about tians I’ll gladly lend a hand.”

  
“I’ll bet you would,” Shadis growled lowly. He held out a hand and pointed. Having worked with him for a few years Hanji knew what he meant and she frowned and opened her mouth. “I hope you aren’t planning on talking back Zoe, I would hate to have to go to Erwin.” Hanji shut her mouth and started running. “AND DON’T STOP UNTIL I TELL YOU YOU CAN!”

  
“Yes sir!” Hanji yelled. She hadn’t had to run as punishment since Levi came into a position of power, he was always making her clean as punishment. He was always making everyone clean. She knew why Shadis had done it of course, had he not the cadets would think that he was a push-over despite the horrible words. Besides, not ten minutes later and she had a running partner, a young woman by the name of Sasha. The two ran until sunset, the older woman felt bad for Sasha, who collapsed into the lap of another cadet. Hanji was out of breath, but otherwise showed no outward sign of being exhausted.

  
“Ma’am,” Hanji looked down at the young woman who had caught Sasha. Her blue eyes were worried, she seemed too sweet to be here.

  
“Please, call me Hanji,” she said quickly.

  
“Y-yes H-hanji,” the girl shakily held up a waterskin. “I, you wouldn’t mind if I gave her water and bread would you?” Hanji smiled widely.

  
“I won’t tell on you if that’s what you mean,” she said as Sasha stirred and sniffed the air. The girl practically tore the bread and the girl’s hand off. Hanji laughed loudly as another girl came out from the shadows. The small blonde girl got off the ground.

  
“Thank you ma’am,” she said smiling.

  
“Don’t worry, caring about your fellow cadets will get you brownie points in my book,” Hanji said. She yawned and winced as her leg started aching, she had pushed the pain to the back of her mind while she was running, but it was coming back now. “I’d better be off and you’d better get to bed.” She waved as she walked away, the trio of girls starting an argument in her wake. It was a long walk back to the Survey Corps smaller outpost in Trost, there was one in every outlying district, mainly for those who had families and wanted to be close to them. Hanji all but fell into the bed she’d been assigned while she was there. When someone knocked on her door a few minutes later she all but groaned as she sat up. “Come in!” She called, not wanting to get up. The door opened and Moblit’s face appeared in the doorway, behind him she saw Mike and Petra.

  
“Heard you got in some trouble!” Mike said happily as they trooped into the small room. Hanji laughed and scratched the back of her head.

  
“I guess so,” she said. “I don’t really see it as trouble, but more of an example,” she tilted her head and smiled. “Glad you all came to visit! I thought I was going to be stuck with cadets for the next three years!”

  
“Oh come on, you don’t really think Commander Erwin will leave you here for three years do you?” Moblit asked.

  
“Yeah even he knows that we need you! I bet after you’re all better he’ll assign one of the rookies to the training,” Petra said softly as she sat down. “Captain Levi sends his… Um.” She looked up at Mike.

  
“He sends his most sincere amusement and doesn’t feel bad for and I quote “that four eyed freak”,” Mike was nearly rolling on the floor. Hanji blinked a few times and then burst out laughing.

  
“That midget sure does want to try me even while I’m gone huh?” She wiped tears from her eyes and the four Scouts sat up a little longer, before they departed for their main headquarters. Hanji smiled as she settled back into bed. The pain in her leg was gone now, leaving it slightly sore, but she was used to that. While she hoped what Petra said would be true, she also wouldn’t mind staying to watch how these cadets did.


	2. Learning Names and Faces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyy, look what’s actually getting a second chapter! *Is proud of myself* For those of you who are new to my stories won’t understand, but if you’ve been with me for a while you’ll know why this is an accomplishment XD. (Plus if you saw my Fanfiction folder… you’d understand,)
> 
> A/N: 11/9/2016: I'm sorry guys, honestly I'm posting this here today as a slight therapy to myself, and hoping that it can make someone else smile today. This was originally posted on my FF.Net account and as such most author's note's come from there. Anyway, I'm sick to my stomach and slightly scared to death, I'm leaving this here.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ATTACK ON TITAN (HOLY CRAP TWO DISCLAIMERS IN A ROW) I DO HOWEVER OWN A REALLY SOFT ATTACK ON TITAN HOODIE AND ITS MY FAVORITE.

**** **_*S*_ **

****

**Song: Wings of Freedom English Cover by Unknown Songbird**

**_*S*_ **

_Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit._

**_~Aristotle_ **

****

**_*S*_ **

****

**Chapter Two: Learning Names and Faces**

Hanji woke up early the next morning, ready to get the day started. She may hate being sidelined, but she was curious to see how the cadets got along with the 3DM Aptitude tests. She dressed quickly, her hands flying through getting her own 3DM harness on, years of practice meaning she didn’t even have to find a mirror or someone else to make sure she did it right. She paused on her way out, thinking she forgot something but shrugged and went on her way. It was only once she was halfway back to the training grounds when she realized that she’d forgotten her glasses. She sighed and turned back, running now, even though she knew she’d be late no matter what. When she ran into the training grounds, goggles on her face, she knew instantly it wouldn’t be a good day for her, specifically from the look Shadis gave her. She hadn’t even got that look when she was in training.

                “Well, well Zoe, glad you could be seen joining us today,” Shadis remarked when Hanji fell in beside him in front of the 3DM training posts. “As it so happens I need an example, strap up.” Hanji smiled widely.

                “Sure thing!” She said, she stretched her arms over her head and walked over to the waiting assistance, who immediately set about clipping hooks onto her gear. Once everything was hooked on the assistants moved back and looked at Shadis.

                “Alright, listen up, Miss Zoe here will show you how it’s done,” Shadis yelled. “She may seem like an airheaded fuck up, but she’s brilliant, top 10 of her cadet class, one of the best there is.” He waved a hand and one of the assistants started cranking the lever, pulling Hanji into the air, she tightened immediately, but let herself relax as soon as her feet were off the ground. She swung lightly back and forth, watching the cadets in front of her. Some of them looked like they had never seen someone use 3DM gear before, though she figured they probably hadn’t, what a treat it would be when she’d get to show off with the actual stuff. She swung back and forth some more and judged the distance from the ground before she flipped, tucking in tight, she still felt her ponytail brush through the dirt. As she straightened out she heard a few claps and laughed. Shadis rolled his eyes and had the assistants lower her. “The general idea is to not suck.” Shadis yelled. “And no showing off, Zoe has had years to perfect what she just did, any of you try it and you’d smash your face into the ground.”

                “Honestly I thought I would smash my face into the ground too!” Hanji said laughing as she brushed at her hair, not succeeding in getting any of the dirt out. Oh how Levi would have a fit. She stood back and watched as one by one the cadets were hooked up and she started pacing around. Right away there were several people who took to it. A black haired girl with a red scarf, a taller boy with a slight pinched look on his face, her running partner Sasha from the night before, and girl with icy blue eyes that actually sent a shiver down her back. Nearing the end of the line Hanji stopped and stared at the now upside down boy in front of her. “You look like you’re having some trouble.” She started laughing. “Oh man! I haven’t seen anyone be stuck upside down since that time Moblit’s gear malfunctioned.”

                “What is your major malfunction Jaeger?” Shadis’s angry yell made Hanji jump and the poor boy in front of her went pale despite the fact that all of his blood should be in his head right now. “Straighten yourself up!” All around them the boy’s fellow cadets were snickering. Hanji frowned, as if any of them could do better. She and one of the other assistants helped the boy down and Shadis sniffed before moving on.

                “Hey don’t worry about it!” Hanji said seeing the downcast look on the kid’s face. She clapped him on the back. “My first time I ate dirt before they even had me off the ground!” It was true, Mike had thought it was the funniest thing on this side of the wall.

                “Yeah,” the boy muttered, not looking any better.

                “I can help you out,” Hanji offered. “That’s what I’m here for anyway.” The boy looked up quickly, his eyes stretched wide.

                “Really?! You’d help me?” He asked. Hanji nodded and laughed.

                “Sure, during your break we’ll work on it!” She said clapping him on the back.

                “Thank you so much Miss Zoe!” He said. “I’m Eren Jaeger by the way.”

                “Don’t mention it Eren,” she said. “And please, only my commander and Shadis call me Zoe, everyone else calls me Hanji.” She started walking off, a hand on her chin. “Though I suppose Levi calls me Zoe as well, but only when he’s angry at me… Hmmm, when has he actually used my name?” She wandered off as she was thinking.

 

**_*S*_ **

****

Later, as promised, Hanji stood with Eren and two of his friends, the girl with the scarf, whom was named Mikasa and the poor coconut head shaped boy named Armin. She took an immediate liking to Armin, he was intelligent like her and she resolved to beg Erwin to have him on her squad should he choose to go to the Scouts.

“Just remember the basics and you should be fine,” Mikasa’s voice brought her out of her inner thoughts. Hmm, she did that often, get lost…

“Don’t try so hard,” Hanji said. “I’ve seen plenty of crappy people be able to work maneuver gear and honestly if you plan on MPs or Garrison you don’t really need it.” Unless something like Shinganshina were to happen again.

“Nothing fancy,” Mikasa said in her quiet voice, her eyes sliding over to look at Hanji. “Just focus on distributing you weight evenly. Shouldn’t you be doing this?” She said looking at Hanji.

“Hmmm?” Hanji said looking back at her. “Well, yeah I guess so,” she started laughing. “But I think you covered everything.”

“Oh! Also, loosen up your stance a little bit,” Armin added suddenly. “If I can do it I know you can!” Hanji smiled brightly, seeing the three of them reminded her of herself, Erwin, and Levi.

“Okay, a loose stance with balance,” Eren muttered. He looked up at Hanji who was watching him curiously. He turned and nodded at Armin, who started cranking the lever with some difficulty. Eren looked terrified to Hanji as his feet started lifting off the ground and Hanji knew immediately that he wouldn’t be upright for much longer. She dashed forward, just barely making it in time to catch his head from hitting the ground.

“Ouch,” Hanji muttered. “That could have been bad huh?” She chuckled but stopped when she saw the look on Eren’s face. “Oh come on now, it’s not that bad, you still have tomorrow to prove you aren’t totally worthless!”

“Miss Hanji,” Armin said looking sheepish. “I don’t think that’s the best way to put that.” He was slightly scared of this woman, she seemed so carefree, yet he knew from looking at her that she wasn’t nearly as carefree as she seemed. “Um, Miss Hanji.” He said again after they’d unclipped Eren. Armin had hung back while Mikasa led a slumped Eren back to the barracks.

“Yes Armin?” Hanji said, she’d been on her way to the storehouse. She planned to make use of the training ground’s small forest without Erwin finding out hopefully.

“You mentioned that you wouldn’t have to be very good with the 3DM gear if we were going into the MPs or the Garrison, but Shadis said you were one of the best with it,” Armin fiddled with his fingers, looking down at the ground. “D-does that mean you were with the Survey Corps?” He asked looking up, he was worried that she’d get angry. Usually only retired soldiers were training officers, but she looked so young still. He was surprised when she started laughing.

“You got me,” Hanji said, she honestly wasn’t shocked, the boy certainly looked intelligent. “I’m an active member of the Survey Corps, benched for a while due to an injury.” She tapped her foot on the ground a few times.

“Whoa,” Armin said. “So you’re not retired?”

“Not at all,” she said with a shrug. She put her arms behind her head and looked up at the sky, where the daylight was fading fast. “In fact I’m a Squad leader, though you probably shouldn’t go spreading that around.” She tapped her chin. “I actually think I wasn’t supposed to tell you.” She shrugged again.

“ARMIN!” Eren’s raised voice drew the small boy’s attention away from Hanji.

“Go catch up with your friends Armin,” Hanji said. “I have some work to do anyway,” she started walking to the storehouse. “If you guys want to see how a pro works with the gear come out to the training forest later.” She winked over her shoulder. A test to see if any were brave enough to actually sneak past Shadis to get there. Hanji opened the door to the storehouse and made a beeline for the 3DM gear lined up, she made sure the gas tanks were filled as she attached the gear to her harness. Once that was done, she trekked out to the forest in the almost non-existent light.

When she reached the edge of the forest, she squeezed the triggers on the handles, sending the grappling hooks into a pair of trees. She gave out a loud whoop of joy as she flew through the forest, it was pretty large, even though only half of it was used to train the cadets. They usually trekked to a much larger and denser forest inside Wall Rose to do large scale training missions. She flew around the forest for a while until she finally came to a stop on a branch.

“I guess they were too scared,” Hanji laughed, thinking of Armin’s nervous nature. She turned around and was getting ready to head back when she heard voices.

“We’ll start with belt adjustments, and by morning you’ll be an expert,” it was a male voice obviously. Hanji peered down to see four figures walking along the path below her, one of them obviously stuck out as Armin, the other three, a blonde and two dark haired boys, she could only guess that one was Eren. _Huh? Why is my vision so blurry?_ She thought, she felt her face and found her goggles to be missing. She sighed but shrugged it off, she was always losing them anyway, and usually Levi would find them on her forehead. She almost smacked herself in an attempt to check, sure enough they were resting there. She pulled them down over her eyes and smiled when she could suddenly see better. Hanji watched the boys stop and look around, they must have been trying to find a tree to use, and she chuckled quietly and pulled the triggers on her 3DM gear, sending the hooks into the tree just above the tallest boy’s head.

“What the hell?” She heard one of them say before she jumped from her own tree and landed neatly in front of them.

“Shit,” the other blonde muttered. Clearly he was expecting to get sent packing to the fields.

“Wow Armin! I didn’t expect you guys to actually sneak past Shadis!” Hanji said laughing.  She retracted her hooks and inspected her nails for a moment, letting the two boys who didn’t understand what was going on to sweat a little bit more. These cadets were proving to be just as much fun as torturing Levi was.

“M-miss Hanji,” Armin stuttered, he looked like she’d nearly given him a heart attack, the poor kid was like a fawn.

“So, I see you recruited more people to help teach Eren,” Hanji said smiling. “Sorry I wasn’t more help, I’m not exactly the best with teaching kids, apparently however this is “practice”.” She used air quotes. “For what I don’t think I even want to know.” She had a feeling that Erwin and Shadis would have her teaching a class before too long. Which would suck because it would put her behind the walls more often than outside them.

“Yes ma’am!” Eren said happily. “This is Reiner and Berthold.” The blonde and the other dark headed boy nodded and took a few deep breaths.

“So you aren’t going to turn us in?” Reiner asked looking skeptical.

“Nah, too much trouble,” Hanji said waving a hand. “Besides, poor Eren here needs all the help he’s going to get!” She started laughing thinking of the poor boy’s failures of the day. “You remind me of a good friend of mine Eren,” she said catching the look on his face. “Please stop making that look, pouting doesn’t go good with determination.” Eren quickly tried to wipe the pout of his face that he hadn’t even been aware of. Armin surveyed the others, it was amazing how fast Miss Hanji had put everyone at ease, he wondered if she was often used to distract from a situation.

“You’ve got the real stuff, not the silly training mounts,” Berthold said nodding at her gear.

“Well yeah,” Hanji laughed again. “Can’t expect me to be an expert without using it you know.” She tapped her chin, something that she was often doing. “Though, I won’t rat you out if you don’t rat me out, I’m not exactly supposed to be “putting stress on my leg”.” She used air quotes again, remembering the look on Erwin’s face when he forbade her to use her own 3DM Gear. Reiner and Berthold looked at each other than at Eren and Armin.

“Deal,” the four of them said. They turned and grinned at each other and Hanji smiled slightly, she could probably get used to being around the cadets if they weren’t all completely hopeless.

 

**_*S*_ **

****

The next day was one reserved for testing those who had failed the 3DM test the day before. One last chance to prove your worth before being sent packing. Hanji stood with Jackson and Tanner while Shadis stood in front of the last cadet of the day, Eren.

“Jaeger, are you ready?” Shadis asked loudly, staring the young boy down.

“Yes sir!” Eren nearly yelled back. Even as far back as she was, Hanji could see the determined light in his eyes. 

“Begin,” Shadis said nodding at the boy turning the crank. It was silent as Eren was hoisted into the air and Hanji cheered nearly as loud as Eren’s fellow cadets when the boy remained upright. Her cheer turned into a groan when he suddenly wobbled and fell backwards.

“Kid should have given up yesterday,” Jackson muttered quietly. Hunter nodded slightly and Hanji narrowed her eyes at the two of them. Did they not understand how the loss of an overly enthusiastic recruit was bad for all of them?

“Wagner, switch belts with Jaeger,” Shadis said suddenly, everyone watched in confused silence as the two boys switched belts. Then Eren was back in the air successfully balancing.

“Yahoo!” Hanji laughed, drawing several strange looks from the cadets nearest them and a particularly disapproving look from Shadis.

“Your gear was defective, with the proper gear you might not be half bad,” Shadis said turning Eren’s broken belt in his hands.

“What about my assessment?” Eren asked while his fellow cadets started whispering to each other.

“Do your best in training,” Shadis said simply as he turned and started walking off. Hanji grinned and started shoving cadets out of the way as Shadis started trying to herd them towards the equipment sheds.

“Good job Eren!” She said ruffling the boy’s hair when she reached him. Mikasa glowered at the tall woman, not happy about her manhandling Eren. “Now you guys get to play with the real stuff! How exciting!”

“Um, Miss Hanji,” Armin’s timid voice made her look down beside her.

“Hm?” Hanji hummed, tilting her head.

“Should you be showing favoritism?” He asked. Hanji laughed, not having expected this at all. “After all you aren’t exactly acting this way towards the others.”

“You’re probably right Armin,” she said, “but no one is willing to call me out on it, I have friends in high places.” She winked at the cadets around them.

“ZOE! If you’re going to stand around and bullshit you might as well lead the lambs to the equipment shed and show them how to put it on correctly.” Shadis didn’t even turn around as he led the majority of the cadets away.

                “Sure thing!” Hanji called.

                “Oh and another thing,” Shadis said turning around suddenly. “No more midnight spins with the 3DM Gear until you’re cleared, understand?”

                “I make no promises!” She said, a shit eating grin spread across her face as she led the cadets gathered around her towards the sheds. Shadis narrowed his eyes and shook his head, knowing it would be the best he got from the woman. The afternoon wore on as Hanji, Shadis, Jackson, and Hunter taught the cadets how to properly assemble, put on, and clean the 3DM Gear. When she fell into bed that night she was in a much better mood, and her leg only held a dull ache that she ignored.

 

**_*S*_ **

****

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so ends Chapter 2. I’m excited to get going with this, I’m estimating only about ten chapters though, and maybe a sequel of sorts. We’ll see how this goes so far. 
> 
> A/N: 11/9/2016: Please everyone stay safe today and don't make stupid life choices. We can get through this. Eventually. If you get the chance please go give some love to NIghteyes cosplay, she's having a really hard time and she is the most wonderful person I know, and she really deserves to know that people are there for her. 
> 
>  
> 
> As always, any questions, concerns, or comments can be left as a review or you can PM me.
> 
>  
> 
> ~Shimmerz~


	3. Horses and Horsefaces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back again with Chapter 3! I hope you guys are enjoying so far. I’m trying to keep it light and fluffy, which means I’m showcasing the slightly ditzy, funnier side of Hanji, and I guess the parental caregiver side at times? Instead of the serious, crazy, slightly cracked side… Though, that might make an appearance later on. (Hint: It does.)

_“No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again. Your life is in your hands. To make of it what you choose.”_

****

**_*S*_ **

****

**Chapter 3: Horses and Horsefaces**

Hanji arrived on time the next morning, much to the relief of Shadis. He’d been afraid of losing his voice yelling at the messy woman, let alone the idiot cadets he had. Together the training officers waited for the cadets by the stables. Hanji cackled quietly, knowing she would enjoy this particular training day for sure. She could remember her own first try at horseback riding, her horse had left her sitting in the dust, and had promptly sent her to the infirmary with a kick to the stomach an hour after that.

                “Zoe,” Shadis’s voice brought her head up.

                “Yes sir?” She said standing up straighter.

                “A man by the name of Moblit brought your horse around early this morning, so you won’t have to worry about any of these stubborn mules giving you trouble,” he growled. “Two Military Police horses were brought in for you two.” He nodded at Jackson and Hunter. Hanji barely heard what he said as she sprinted into the stable, startling the horses in the building.

                “TITAN MY BABY!” She cried skidding to a halt in front of the only horse who was still idly chewing hay. The large bay looked up at his rider with an air of boredom.

                “Dammit,” Shadis muttered, his eyes dark as he watched the horses freak out.

                “She named her horse Titan?” A loud snort and a laugh alerted the training officers that cadets had started to arrive.

                “Good morning piss-ants,” Shadis said glaring at them all, trying to block out the nervous noises of the horses as Hanji continued to coo loudly at her horse, who stood and obliged his mistress willingly. He felt his eye start to twitch, looks like he would have to get Erwin to send someone to control Hanji sooner than later. “Today you will be learning something that’s equally as important as 3DM gear. Horseback riding.” He shot a look over his shoulder to the three training officers, who now had their horses out and were tacking them up. “And thanks to Zoe, these beasts are all riled up and nervous, so you get an extra fun day.”

                “Sorry!” Hanji said scratching the back of her neck. She pet Titan’s forelock down and laughed, startling the MP horses beside her. “I keep forgetting that Titan is bred to not be nervous.”  As the cadets looked at the horses in front of them they did notice an immediate difference. Hanji’s horse was taller than the other two and had more muscle on it.

                “Survey Corps horse,” a thin boy standing next to Armin whispered towards the back of the cadet crowd. “My dad breeds them. They’re taller and more built than most horses for speed and endurance. Then trained to remain calm no matter what.”

                “Scatterbrained idiot,” a boy towards the front of the crowd muttered shaking his head. “No wonder she’s a training officer, if she were somewhere else she’d get someone killed.” A freckled boy next to him elbowed him with a loud shush.

                “Hey horseface why don’t you shut up,” Eren said, overhearing the boy’s statement.

                “KERISTCHIEN, JAEGER,” Shadis bellowed, startling the horses even more. “Thank you for volunteering to be the first to try your hand at catching a horse and riding it.” The man grabbed the two boys by the shoulder and shoved them towards the paddock. “Jaeger, your horse is the one with the white stocking in the far corner.” Eren was handed a halter and a rope. “Keristchien, yours is the gray next to it. Good luck.”

                “W-wait, don’t we get a demonstration or something?” Eren asked in a panicked voice as the boy Hanji knew as Kerstchien vaulted over the fence with an air of confidence.

                “Learn by doing Jeager,” Hunter said rubbing his chin thoughtfully as they all watched Keirstchien.

                “Just not by watching him,” Hanji said. She cupped her hands over her mouth. “Hey, the one Eren calls Horseface! You don’t want to walk behind a horse it could end bad!” The boy had stopped to listen to what she said and when she yelled it startled Eren’s horse, making it jump to the side, bumping into Keirstchien’s horse. In the end, Keirstchien was on the ground cradling his foot. Eren started laughing hysterically.

                “Alright Jaeger, you think you can do any better, you do it!” Keirstchien growled limping past the other boy to the fence.

                “Alright I will!” Eren said confidently. Hanji opened her mouth to yell words of encouragement when a hand slapped over it.

                “I think you’ve done enough damage here for one day Hanji,” Mike was peering at her from under his bangs.

                “Mike!” Hanji said happily. “Why are you here?”

                “Shadis was worried for his cadets’ safety,” the man said dragging the woman behind him, through the left over cadets, as Shadis had sent most of them into the field already. Titan walked along obediently behind the two of them.

                “I told you it was a Survey Corps horse,” the thin boy said as Mike and Hanji walked past him and Armin.

                “I figured as much,” Armin muttered staring at the rope and halter in his own hands. It wasn’t a surprise to him of course, and he was worried about having to ride an animal that was three times his size.

                “Where are we going?” Hanji asked Mike as they left the training grounds all together.

                “HQ for a while,” Mike said, “Erwin wants a word, plus you have some paperwork to do,” he paused and scratched his beard. “And you might want to choose someone other than Moblit to lead your squad.”

                “Wonderful,” Hanji muttered. She stuck a foot in the stirrup of Titan’s saddle and swung up with age-old ease. “Come on then, why walk when you can ride?” She stuck out her hand for Mike, who looked slightly terrified at the thought of riding with Hanji. “You scared or something?” She teased.

                “Since when have I ever been scared?” Mike asked taking her hand and swinging up behind her.

                “I seem to remember someone crying their first time outside the walls,” Hanji said as she kicked Titan into motion.

                “You promised not to say anything!” Mike yelled as they thundered down the road and through the gate into Wall Rose. Hanji laughed loudly and the two of them were quiet as they rode into the yard of the Survey Corps HQ, a very familiar short figure waiting with arms crossed.

                “Somehow this is worse than Erwin,” Hanji muttered as Mike swung down. She jumped down and plastered a grin on her face and held up a hand. “Levi! I feel so honored!” She said happily. The man in front of her sniffed and rolled his eyes.

                “When did you last take a bath shitty glasses?” He asked as one of the rookies took her horse from her.

                “Hmmm,” Hanji tapped her chin. “I’ve been busy.” She said with a shrug.

                “Busy choosing favorites and making a fool of yourself,” Levi snapped. “Erwin had to go out, he expects me to “talk to you”,” he rolled his eyes. “But if you take a bath I’ll just give a rudimentary run-down of what he wanted me to say.”

                “Deal!” Hanji said immediately. The only person who gave longer speeches than her was Erwin, and she had a feeling that she wouldn’t like this one. A little while later Hanji was submerged in a tub of lukewarm water, eyes closed.

                “So why are you being a bigger pain in the ass than usual?” Levi’s voice made Hanji crack one eye open. The room was blurry, and she couldn’t make out distinct features on his face.

                “Ever heard of privacy?” Hanji asked closing her eye again.

                “Like you care about that,” Levi muttered he grabbed the brush that was sitting beside the sink and muttered something inaudible about taking care of things. “And stop changing the subject.”

                “Don’t want to scare the cadets,” Hanji muttered. “Nanaba said that with her little batch of cadets half of them quit after the first day. So I figured the less obsessive I am and the less… erm…” She paused trying to think of the word.

                “Overbearing,” Levi supplied as he worked on brushing the tangles out of Hanji’s hair before grabbing the soap.

                “Yeah! The less obsessive and overbearing I was the easier it would be for the cadets,” she said humming in content. “I really did forget about the horse thing though, I’m so used to Titan and Skye.”

                “Tch,” Levi scoffed, the thought of this walking tornado of crazy being familiar with his horse worried him slightly. “Maybe you need to calm down a little bit then, act like you do with Moblit and Mike.”

                “Not like how I act with you?” Hanji asked tilting her head back to look at him, a teasing glint in her eyes.

                “I’d be worried about the cadets if you acted how you did around me,” he muttered. “Rinse.” He instructed, removing his hands from her hair. Hanji ducked her head under the water and ran her own hands through her hair several times, making sure all of the soap was gone before surfacing.

                “Why would you worry about the cadets?” Hanji asked curiously as she stood up and accepted the towel Levi handed her.

                “Because I’d have to kill them,” Levi said simply, adding a small shrug. He sat on Hanji’s bed and watched as she redressed in a clean uniform, making sure to put the cadet jacket on instead of her Survey Corps jacket which was laying across the chair behind her desk. “Besides, it would be rather inappropriate wouldn’t you think?”

                “I suppose so,” Hanji said laughing. She flopped down on her bed and immediately stuck her head on Levi’s lap, despite her wet hair. Levi felt his eye twitch but he let it go.

                “Erwin also said to not be a potential bad influence, and that he expects you to follow both his and the doctor’s orders,” he said leaning back.

                “Hmmm,” Hanji hummed slightly, feeling drowsy. The only person she could ever feel so safe and relaxed with was Levi. Even if she was unsure of what it was they had, there were laws against them having an actual relationship, but they were more than just lovers. The situation confused even her sometimes. “Erwin knows everything I swear.”

                “Care to share?” Levi asked, rare amusement lacing his tone.

                “I may or may not have encouraged a few cadets to sneak out past curfew,” Hanji said looking up at him. Levi snorted, of course she would.

                “And I take it you were using 3DM gear?” He asked, guessing what the second part of Erwin’s warning meant.

                “Guilty,” she muttered. Levi flicked her forehead.

                “Your leg will be fully healed in a month,” he said. “Can’t you just wait that long?”

                “I guess,” Hanji said pouting slightly. She closed her eyes and found herself drifting off into a deep sleep, only to be woken by Levi shaking her several hours later.

                “Get up shitty glasses,” the captain said removing her head from his lap. “You have to get back to Trost and I have work to be done with my squad. I already sent Moblit to get your horse ready.”

                “Thanks Levi,” Hanji said gratefully as she stood and stretched. She grabbed her glasses from the bedside table and made sure they were secure before smiling at the short man who was still standing in her now open doorway.

                “Don’t do anything stupid and stop giving Shadis a hard time,” he said. “Don’t make me have to come get you. I won’t be as nice as Mike or Erwin.” With his last warning he turned and disappeared, leaving Hanji to sweat slightly. In the yard Hanji took Titan’s reigns from Moblit and smiled as she swung up.

                “Let Nifa take charge for a bit,” she said almost laughing at the relieved look on Moblit’s face. “And if she’s having trouble get Keiji to take charge.”

                “Yes squad leader!” Moblit said happily.

                “Oh and by the way,” Hanji called over her shoulder as she rode off. “There’s still a ton of paperwork on my desk!” She laughed at the look on Moblit’s face. “If you need any help just ask Levi!”

                “Squad leader!” Mobilt’s despaired wail followed her out of the Survey Corps headquarters and down the road as Hanji spurred Titan into a canter, wanting to get back to the training grounds as quickly as possible. As she put Titan up for the night she grinned at some of the nervous looking cadets who were still hanging around the stable, getting to know their mounts better.

                “So, who actually talked to you?” Sahdis voice scattered the remaining cadets and made Hanji squeak in surprise.

                “Shadis! You can’t just sneak up on someone like that!” Hanji said blinking at the older man several times. “And it was Captain Levi.” Shadis rolled his eyes and snorted, he walked past her and leered at a few stalls that weren’t as pristine as the others.

                “Well, at least I know that you got it through your thick head then,” Shadis muttered as he left the stable. Hanji hummed slightly and leaned her forehead against Titan’s neck, breathing in the smell of horse and hay.

                “He overestimates Levi,” she said laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I’m not 100% happy with the chapter, but it’s here and it’s done. So I can only move forward, which I will. I set it up in a way that I could steer Hanji back into character because I almost died when I truly realized just how OOC I had her. So hopefully that will be better now.
> 
> As always, any questions, concerns, or comments can be left in a review or sent as a PM. Thanks for letting me bring a little shimmer into your day. 
> 
> ~Shimmerz~


	4. Mission PT.1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyye, back at it again! So back when I first wrote this chapter I thought I lost muse for this, so I went and read a bunch of Attack on Titan fanfiction and went through some fanart on Tumblr to get me back in the spirit, though truth be told I feel like this isn’t my best writing. (It really isn't. So sorry for that.) 
> 
> Anyway, on with the show!

Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, which easily turned into the cadets first year of training being over. At the end of the week they would be embarking on their first training mission on their own. One to see how alert they stay in times of peace, though Hanij knew there had to be some ulterior motive if Shadis was stationing her in the forest the cadets would be meeting at before returning back to camp. But before then, Hanji had her own mission to go on. Having been fully healed and medically cleared by a doctor (though not mentally in his opinion) for about 8 months now she was joining in on a short mission into Wall Maria with the rest of the Survey Corps. By now of course most cadets had a running bet on which trainer was from what military branch. It amused Hanji to no end that the majority of the cadets had her labeled as Garrison. She snickered as she snuck through camp; having grown tired of running back and forth to the Trost HQ and the training camp, the brunette had finally sucked it up and accepted a room on site. She slid into the stables and quietly started tacking Titan up and making sure her gear was ready to go, she’d returned to the main Survey Corps HQ and grabbed her own gear, wanting to use something she was overly intimate with out in titan territory. She was sliding her arms through her Survey Corps jacket when she heard a small gasp. She spun around, her eyes narrowed until she saw who it was.

                “Krista?” Hanji inquired. The small cadet had a hand covering her mouth, her blue eyes wide. Personally Hanji saw through most of the young girl’s quiet and shy façade, she wouldn’t have lasted the year she had if she weren’t hardened in some way. Though she supposed it helped that her fellow cadet Ymir was never far behind.

                “I-I’m sorry Miss Zoe!” Krista stammered. “I know I’m not supposed to be out of my dorm yet but, I just…” the girl blushed slightly.

                “Just what dear?” Hanji asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. She pulled her jacket down slightly, getting the bagginess out of her shoulder area and watched as Krista’s eyes darted to the patch on her breast pocket.

                “I come out every morning to bond with my horse,” the cadet said quietly. Hanji laughed quietly.

                “So much worrying for nothing!” She said loudly, she gently tugged on Titan’s reigns, leading him out of the stable. “Out of all cadets I think you worry us the least when it comes to strange activities.” It was true, they’d busted Sasha and Connie Springer multiple times for stealing food. Jean and Eren for sneaking out to fight when they assumed no one could hear them. Mikasa for trying to get revenge on Jean. Eren again for trying to get in extra practices. Berthold and Reiner for reasons the boys still would not give up. And just a few days ago Thomas Wagner for trying to sneak into the girl’s dorms. There were a few mystery incidents; involving some cadets strung up in trees by their undergarments or their ankles, that Shadis had been sure that Ymir had been responsible for, but there was never any concrete proof, and the victims, always boys, never would say who had done what. So honestly Krista coming to see her horse was least of anyone’s worries.

                “S-so, I’m not in trouble?” Krista asked, her body visibly relaxing.

                “Not if you and your guard dog can keep quiet about this,” Hanji said hooking a thumb towards her chest, more accurately her Wings of Freedom patch. Krista blushed slightly at hearing the words “guard dog” but she knew Hanji was right, Ymir was never far and the goggle-wearing trainer had probably seen Ymir before Krista had (the other girl was leaning against a building in the shadows).

                “Yes ma-am!” Krista said saluting her immediately after recovering slightly. Hanji smiled and placed a hand on the girl’s head as she lead her horse past her and started on her way out of the grounds. “Good luck!” Krista called as quietly as she could while still being able to be heard.

                “Come back in one piece,” Ymir muttered as Hanji passed her “hiding” spot. “You’re the least annoying adult figure here.”

                “Don’t worry!” Hanji said waving her hand, but a grin still made its way to her face. It would seem like she’d grown on the cadets, and if she was being truthful, some of the cadets had grown on her. “I’ll be back to annoy you all with my knowledge by the end of the week! Just in time for your training mission!”

                “Joy,” Ymir snorted sarcastically as she watched the strange woman lead her horse away. Hanji snickered as she swung up into the saddle, her gear clinking. She would be late because of her short conversation with the cadets, but she supposed it couldn’t be helped. She knew she couldn’t go all out just to get to the gate at Trost, she needed Titan’s strength and stamina once they were beyond that. Maybe she could even convince Erwin to capture a titan for her to study up close this time!

                “You’re late,” the words were muttered loud enough for her to hear, but not quite so for those around them once Hanji had woven her way through the masses to the front, taking her usual spot in between Levi and Mike.

                “Oh really?” Hanji said with a laugh, she looked around quizzically. “I just thought everyone else was early.” She grinned when she noticed the dark-haired male’s eye twitch in annoyance.

                “Tch,” Levi turned to face the front, where Erwin was sitting on his white mare. The commander looked around once, checking that everyone was in their positions and ready to go. He nodded once at Hanji and looked forward as the bells started to ring.

                “Thirty seconds until the gates open!” He roared, his deep voice carrying over the ranks. “All personnel prepare to depart” Hanji could barely contain her excitement, having been on the figurative bench for just a little over a year. She managed to plaster a bored look on her face and she gave a loud moan.

                “I’m tired of waiting!” She drew the words out, sounding very much like one of the cadets after a long day of training. She perked up suddenly. “Hey Levi—“

                “No.”

                “But I didn’t even say anything yet,” Hanji said with a pout. The man hadn’t even looked her way before denying her.

                “You didn’t have to,” Levi muttered, his eyes trained on the gates in front of him. “You want me to help you capture a titan, correct?” He scoffed slightly, seriously, the woman never changed. “It’s a waste of effort and I’ll take no part of it.” Hanji gave a low noise of distress before turning her head to face the man on her other side.

                “Mike? What about you? Care to give it a go?” She asked, tilting her head slightly. Her fellow squad leader smirked slightly and shook his head. Hanji sighed and shrugged, at least she tried. Looks like she’ll have to do it herself. “Same old boring answers from the same old boring men.” She ignored the feeling of eyes burning into her side, rumors flew around the new recruits that Levi’s glares could kill titans and Hanji didn’t want to find out if that was true or not. She quieted down when the gate in front of them started to open.

                “The 49th expedition begins now!” Erwin cried. “Forward!”

 

**_*S*_ **

                Hanji trudged back into the training camp several days later well after sunset. She knew Levi wasn’t far behind her, making sure she got back safely, and she was sure he’d probably apologize, or attempt to for the way he had handled her a few days earlier. She paused to look around, making sure no cadets were out and about, she might not yell at them for being out past curfew, but that didn’t mean Levi wouldn’t.

                “Shitty glasses,” Hanji turned to see Levi standing behind her with his arms crossed. His horse’s reigns were tied around a fence post a little ways back.

                “Oh, you can go now Captain,” Hanji said. “I’m sur you want to get cleaned up.” They were both covered in dirt, blood, and sweat. Funny thing really, simple missions going wrong. Though she supposed it could have been worse… After all she did almost get Olou killed. Levi ignored her and snatched Titan’s reigns from her hands and led the horse into the stables. He didn’t get but three steps in before he stopped dead, causing Hanji to run into him. “Ow, Levi, Titan’s stall is near the back.” She muttered.

                “Shitty brats, aren’t you supposed to be in bed?” Levi asked, causing Hanji to peer over his head into the dimly lit stable. In front of him was a panicked looking Armin, a non-expressive Ymir, and a sleeping Krista.

                “Oh!” Hanji grinned stepping around Levi, taking the reins back from him. “I do hate to be a downer loves, but the man is right.” She smiled gently at the three of them as she walked past. The stable was filled with an awkward and tense silence as Hanji set about untacking Titan. She slid off her cape and jacket, wordlessly handing them to a still glaring Levi.

                “Krista was in here every night after you left, waiting to see if you’d come back,” Ymir said suddenly. Hanji’s hands froze in the action of bolting Titan’s stall door closed. “She fell asleep two nights ago and Jackson caught her. Gave her laps, and being the good girl she is she took them with no complaints.” It was clear by her tone she blamed Hanji.

                “Maybe you brats should do as you’re told then,” Levi said coldly, his eyes sweeping over the cadets. He smirked slightly when the blonde boy trembled slightly under his gaze.

                “Now now Captain!” Hanji said laughing. “You’re scaring Armin with that grumpy face of yours!” She bolted Titan’s stall and walked forward until she was beside Krista’s sleeping form. She crouched down and poked the younger girl’s forehead. “Wake up Krista,” she said gently. She looked up to see Ymir and Levi in a stare off and Armin was looking back and forth between the two of them.

                “So I know why Krista and Ymir are here,” Hanji said as Krista started to rouse. “But why are you here Armin?”

                “Oh, I was asking around when I noticed you weren’t at training for two days in a row, and Commander Shadis got mad and told us not to worry over something that didn’t concern us, and I figured it meant you had something to do with the Survey Corps,” Armin said, his eyes shifting nervously. “I ran into Kirsta and Ymir in the stables one night.” He smiled and scratched his face.

                “Oh you smart boy you,” Hanji said. She would fight tooth and nail to have that boy on her squad if she had to.

                “You’re back Miss Zoe!” Krista’s happy voice brought all of their gazes to the girl.

                “That’s right dear!” Hanji said. “I hope you didn’t worry too much! You see I have grumpy pants by the door to look after me!”

                “Not to mention your perpetually scared assistant,” Levi muttered. Hanji grimaced, poor Moblit had cried when Hanji had returned to camp with Levi and his squad.

                “Ah, yes well some things can’t be helped,” Hanji laughed nervously. She stood up and offered her hand to Krista. “But you lot have a long day ahead of you, and I really need some sleep in an actual bed.”

                “What you need is a shower shitty glasses,” Levi growled. “I’m heading back to HQ. Keep your mouths shut brats.”

                “Bye bye Captain!” Hanji waved at his retreating back, a grin spread across her face.

                “You just let him call you shitty glasses?” Ymir asked. “I’d have punched his short ass in the mouth.” Hanji laughed loudly as she escorted the three cadets back to their dorm.

                “Hmmm, I suppose if it were anyone else calling me that I would,” she said. “But Captain Levi and I are part of only a handful of veterans left in the Corps and he’s been calling me that since he arrived.” She yawned and stretched her arms above her head. “I’m not exactly the easiest to get along with if you guys hadn’t noticed.” Armin and Krista started to make excuses but Ymir snorted and gave a loud laugh.

                “At least you’re honest,” the girl said. Hanji smiled slightly.

                “Get some rest and good luck tomorrow,” she said leaving them in front of the mess hall. She made her way to the officer’s dorms and gathered her night clothes before hitting the showers. She would be the first to admit that her hygiene fell short on her list of important things, however after a mission she always showered no matter what. She sighed as she watched the blood and dirt swirl in the drain, while they hadn’t lost too many people today compared to normal missions, they shouldn’t have lost any at all. Hanji narrowed her eyes and punched the wall with a growl. If only Erwin had let her capture a titan. What would it take to make him see that it was important?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another chapter bites the dust! I think I’ve screwed over some timelines, but YOLO because I need it to work for the story. (I mean not really, but oh well.) So this chapter heavily, and boy do I mean heavily, implies that it takes place during the first OVA, Ilse’s Notebook. Next part will be based on the 3rd OVA. And then after that smooth sailing into the climax of the story! I’m still trying to decide whether I want to continue in the story’s universe after this is over. It’s up in the air at this point in time. (Also, this is unbetad, soooooo. Any mistakes are my own.) 
> 
> As always dears, any questions, concerns, or comments can be left as a review or a PM. I love hearing from you all!


	5. Mission Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up that this chapter will pretty much follow the 3rd OVA, Distress. I made the choice to skip out on the second OVA, which is the cooking competition between Sasha and Jean. So yup! I’ll see you at the end of the tunnel my friends.

_There are no coincidences in this world. Only the inevitable happen_

**_(Card Captor Sakura)_ **

**_*S*_ **

****

**Chapter 5: Mission Pt. 2**

The next morning came way too early for Hanji’s liking. The sun wasn’t even up yet. She dressed as quickly as possible, packing a bag and grabbing her gear. She was still buckling the gas tanks into place and checking the triggers when she entered the mess hall where Shadis had the cadets gathered. She nodded at Jackson and Hunter, whom were standing near the door.

                “Alright, you’ve been assigned your groups. First two squads going out are Squads Bodt and Wagner.” Hanji watched in amused silence as the cadets in the named squads groaned.

                “Of course we’d have to be first,” Jean Kirstein muttered, sending a glare in Eren’s direction. “I’m sure this is Eren’s fault somehow.”

                “Come on now Jean!” Marco Bodt, a tall boy with freckles said trying to calm his friend down. “We just got unlucky.” Something about the word “unlucky” sent a shiver down Hanji’s spine, the whole day felt off. She shook her head and chalked it up to being tired from the expedition.

                “Trainers set out now! I expect you all to be in your spots by noon,” this time Hanji let out a loud groan. Her thighs were already dreading the fast-paced ride towards the forest that served as the rendezvous point for the cadets. No matter how many years she’d been riding, it always left her sore after a few days. Jackson and Hunter were lucky, they would be stationed on either side of the half-way point. Shadis was even luckier as he got to sit at his desk and wait for each group to return. She trudged out the door with Jackson and Hunter at her heels. She was pleased to see that Titan was already tacked and ready to go, a cadet must have been ordered to get their horses ready. With a sigh she swung up on Titan, ready to head out once again.

 

**_*S*_ **

****

                Hanji left Titan at the edge of the forest opposite where the cadets would be entering. She activated her 3DM gear and flew into the trees to find a spot to sit and wait. She supposed she should find a spot to set up camp as well, provided that the cadets were smart they would do the same. She found a small clearing and laid out her sleeping back and set down her pack. Returning to the treetops she made her way to the edge of the forest. She narrowed her eyes slightly, something still felt off to her.

                “Oh man,” she groaned leaning back against the trunk of the tree. The cadets would still be hours away. She narrowed her eyes slightly and gave a yawn. “A nap surely wouldn’t hurt.” She said to no one in particular. She felt like she’d barely had her eyes closed when the noise of a wagon woke her up. She shot up and looked down, adjusting her glasses on her nose carefully.

                “Can’t believe our luck!” A man crowed from the front seat of one wagon. There were other men walking beside it and another set driving a second wagon behind it. Hanji looked up and saw that the sun was just barely setting, but what were these men doing here?

                “You’re telling me! Six sets of 3DM gear to sell,” another man laughed. Hanji early fell off her branch and she clapped a hand over her mouth as the men below her started looking around.

                “Shut your mouths,” someone else growled. “We have to wait for that other group of brats to let their guards down. Not to mention find the owner of that damn giant horse we found.”

                _‘Shit,’_ Hanji thought as the men passed out of her sight. She waited several moments to make sure they wouldn’t hear any noise her gear would make and she skirted around the forest back to where she’d left Titan. She knew the horse wouldn’t let anyone but her or Levi to take him, but that didn’t mean the men wouldn’t shoot him out of spite. The giant bay was nowhere to be seen, however there were hoof prints leading back towards Trost. She sighed, he would wind up back at HQ instead of the training camp and she knew Levi and Moblit would worry needlessly. “Perfect,” she snapped, her eyes narrowed as she released her gear into the trees once more. Now she had to find the cadets before anything happened, glad that she’d brought her flare gun instead of leaving it on Titan’s saddle.

                “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Hanji wanted to smash her face into a tree when she heard Eren’s raised voice.

                “That idiot,” she muttered, though at least it had allowed her to pinpoint where one group was. Marco’s group if she remembered correctly. She listened to Eren and Jean argue for a few more minutes before shaking her head and scouting around the area. When she was satisfied that no one was near the cadets and that they still had their gear she took off in search of the others. It was well past dark now. She raced through the trees, taking tight turns and probably using way too much gas. She found the other group within an hour, they were all still awake.

                “Are you guys okay?” Hanji asked as she landed amongst them, when they’d heard her they’d shot up, taking up defensive positions.

                “Hanji?” Reiner was a little shocked to see the woman here.

                “I thought you weren’t supposed to interact with us,” Annie Leonhardt said, her blue eyes hooded.

                “I think that’s a moot point by now my dear,” Hanji pointed out, referring to their lost gear. The cadets hung their heads in shame.

                “How did you know?” Mikasa asked with suspicion lacing her tone.

                “The bandits passed my lookout point earlier,” Hanji said. “I stopped by to check on the other group and they’re fine, Eren and Jean were arguing.” Mikasa’s gray eyes darkened, she would be having yet another word with Jean. “Honestly I blame myself,” the bespectacled woman said with a sigh. “I didn’t do a full look over the area you guys would be in.” Because she’d chosen to nap instead. Lord, Shadis would never let her live after this.

                “I-I’m sure it would have happened either way Miss Hanji!” Berthold said. Hanji surveyed the faces in front of her, silence falling until a shot rang out through the forest. Hanji looked up alarmed.

                “You guys stay here!” She snapped, taking off back towards the noise, not giving them time to argue. Back towards Marco’s squad she realized with dread. Man, she just couldn’t help but fuck up today could she? When she landed in the clearing she looked around, there was blood on Jean’s face, a bruise was blossoming under Eren’s right eye, and everyone looked angry.  “What happened?” Hanji asked whirling around, taking them all in, doing a count. Sasha, Connie, Armin, Eren, Mina, Jean, Marco… Wasn’t there one more person on their squad? “Where’s Krista?”

                “Ask Jaeger, as he was so ready to get us all killed,” Jean snapped wiping the blood off his face. Hanji stepped forward to inspect the wound. She grabbed Jean’s chin hard and tilted his head, despite the protests the boy was making.

                “They wouldn’t have taken Krista if you guys had done something when I yelled!” Eren growled.

                “Eren shut up,” Hanji snapped. The whole group fell quiet, unused to Hanji actually being serious. “It’s just a graze, a small bandage on it will suffice.” She turned and glared at them all. “Did it not occur to anyone to have someone keeping watch?” She asked them. A blunder like that in the Survey Corps would have meant death for everyone involved. The cadets hung their heads in shame and Hanji was beginning to see the true intentions of this excursion. Teamwork building and bringing in a band of bandits at the same time. Well played Shadis, well played.

                “What do we do?” Marco asked quietly. The cadets all looked to her, but the one to speak was Sasha.

                “We should get a higher vantage point,” the girl said. Hanji grinned slightly.

                “It’s your squad Marco,” she said turning to the freckled boy. “Take the lead and let’s go see if we can’t get Krista and your gear back in one piece.” The small squad trekked towards the center of the forest where a small hill stood.

                “When you get lost in the mountains climb higher, when you get lost in a forest climb a tall tree,” Sasha said as they climbed. “That’s what my dad would always say.”

                “Good advice,” Hanji said trying to quiet the clinking of her gear. Armin fell back slightly.

                “Have you ever had to do something like this?” He asked her.

                “Search and rescue isn’t exactly our thing Armin,” Hanji said quietly. It was a sad fact, but if someone went missing they were assumed dead and the rest carried on. “You need to understand that, this is more Military Police territory, occasionally Garrison. But out there,” she nodded towards the walls. “There’s only body recovery.” With that she sped up slightly, to stand beside Marco as the small group stared at the thin trail of smoke that wafted into the air.

                “We need to get closer,” Marco said, glancing at Hanji from the corner of his eye to see if that was the right choice. Hanji nodded slightly. Together they crept closer until they got to an outcropping. She turned and eyed the others, trying to remember what Shadis had said during their training.

“Jean you’re expert at the 3DM Gear correct?” She muttered starting to detach her gear.

                “Well, I mean,” the boy’s face went red and he looked away.

                “Good enough,” Hanji laughed, she practically shoved her gear at the boy before crouching down and digging a knife out of her boot. Thank god for Levi’s strange habits. “The triggers are very loose, it’s my own personal stuff, so don’t break it.” God knew she need loose triggers if she were to live with all her close calls.

                “What are you doing Miss Hanji?” Mina asked.

                “Something that I hope doesn’t change how you think of me in the long run dear,” Hanji muttered as she helped Jean attach her gear to his harness. “When we get close you all need to stay quiet.” She looked pointedly at Jean and Eren. She brought the strap of her flare bag over her head and handed it to Armin. “Quick run-down, green means go, yellow means caution, yeah,” Armin nodded. “Those are the standard flare colors. In this bag there’s also red, which will mean something has gone wrong, and to avoid that area, more or less anyway. An acoustic round for signals and distractions.”

                “And this one?” Armin said pointing at the black flare.

                “That’s the one I’ll use if I get into trouble,” Hanji said smiling at him. “If you see it shoot the red flare immediately. Remember, there are Garrison and Scout members close enough to the forest that they’ll see the smoke if needed.” The more she talked the more she couldn’t believe she hadn’t thought more into this mission. She felt so stupid. She grabbed the extra gun and loaded the black flare before sticking it in her belt. She spun the knife in her hand and grinned, a strange look entering her eyes, scaring the cadets slightly. “Stay.”

                She slunk away from them, disappearing into the trees around the bandit’s camp. Creeping through the shadows she eyed the bandits as they scrambled to get things packed. She watched as one of them tied Krista’s hands above her head in the bed of one of the wagons. Hanji knelt down and grabbed the knife out of her other boot, one significantly smaller than the one already in her hand, before tucking it carefully, in her ponytail. She knew the mess of knots would hide it.

                “Hurry up!” One of the men closest to Hanji’s hiding place yelled. Her brown eyes scanned around, she counted seven men. She hoped she wouldn’t have to kill any of them while the cadets were watching. This was suicide for sure, she took a deep breath and slunk forward, forgetting that she wasn’t the most graceful person on her feet. She tripped over a branch and froze with a curse as heads turned her way.

                “Go check it out,” the man who seemed to be the leader shoved a smaller man towards her. Hanji tightened her grip on the knife and put her back to a tree next to her. She waited until the man was a little past her before bringing the hilt down on the back of his neck, successfully knocking him out.

                “Sorry dear, but you seem to have one of my cadets,” she said softly. “I’ll have to tell Levi his work payed off.” She chuckled as she continued on into the camp. It wasn’t until she heard a metallic click did she realize she’d counted wrong. “Shit,” she spat turning to see an eighth man that she had obviously missed.

                “Drop the knife,” the man said, his voice bringing the other’s running.

                “I thought I said not to follow us or the girl dies,” the leader growled.

                “Sorry boys, unfortunately I was given no such instructions,” Hanji said, she dropped the knife in the dirt and just as quickly snatched up her flare gun, she cocked it and pulled the trigger before any of the men could move.

                “You bitch!” One of them growled, Hanji felt pain blossom along the side of her jaw as one of them swung their gun at her like a club.

                “Tie her up with the other one,” the leader said while Hanji lay on the ground slightly dazed.

                “I have to hand it to you,” Hanji said as one of the men hauled her upright, “You have killer arm strength. I think that’ll actually bruise.”

                “M-miss Hanji,” Krista said worriedly once Hanji was tied up next to her.

                “Sorry about all this Krista dear,” Hanji laughed. “I live through titans and then let some punk get the drop on me.” She shook her head as the wagon jolted into movement. She knew that Armin had seen the flare, and she also figured whatever backup was stationed nearby had as well. Though she knew they would be long gone by the time they arrived. “Levi would be so disappointed in me right now.”

                “T-that’s the man that was with you last night right?” Krista asked, Hanji smiled sympathetically at the girl, her teeth were chattering. But something in her blue eyes made Hanji looked twice, the girl was already scheming, and it started with playing scared, just as Hanji was playing the airhead yet again.

                “Yup,” Hanji said, popping the “p”. “Captain Levi.” She nodded slightly.

                “You two shut up!” The man beside them growled. “Bad enough I have to babysit, you couldn’t have just let it go.”

                “Of course not!” Hanji said. “I leave comrades to die all the time beyond the wall. Why on Earth would I leave a simple cadet to die inside the walls.” Her eyes narrowed as she glared at the man. “You and I both know you wouldn’t have let her go, not when she knows your faces. You would have sold her to someone in the Underground.”

                “Still are you bitch,” the man spat on Hanji’s shoes, causing the woman to grit her teeth. She may not be the cleanest person, but someone else’s saliva on her shoes was just disgusting. The man continued to look her up and down. “We’ll just have to kill you, no one in their right mind would buy an ugly bitch.”

                “Ah, well I’ll have to tell my lover your opinion, provided you’re still alive after this he might have some words to say to you,” Hanji said with a grin. Shouts from the wagon behind them brought the man’s attention away from her. A quick glance over her shoulder showed Eren and Connie in the wagon with Jean following along behind with Hanji’s gear. She took advantage of their captor’s averted attention and carefully wiggled the knife out of her ponytail just as the wagon went over a bump, sending both Krista and herself flying and causing the man to miss his shot.

                “Shit, I won’t miss again,” the man paid no attention to neither Hanji nor Krista as he took aim at Connie, who now had the wagon behind them under his control. Hanji had her wrists unbound and was diving at the man at the same time Krista threw her weight against the man.

                “Krista!” Hanji yelped as the man’s gun went off again, it hit the wheel of Connie’s wagon, causing them to go sideways. The man turned and smacked Krista with the butt of his gun, flinging her to the ground, before pointing it at Hanji. Hanji gritted her teeth and dropped the small knife as she crouched down to check on Krista.

                “Let’s not try any of that funny shit again,” the man growled. Behind him Hanji saw a green flare go up.

                “Good boy,” Hanji muttered quietly, a small smirk on her lips.

                “Your friends have screwed everything up,” the man with the gun growled. “And you’ll be taking personal responsibility for it.” He wore a grin on his face, but Hanji’s own smirk widened and she started to laugh as a grappling hook from 3DM gear shot in and knocked the gun from his hand. Hanji could see the cocky look on Jean’s face that signaled he’d done it.

                “Good job boys!” Hanji cried as she watched Eren and Jean work together as if they’d been doing it for years. She still was not prepared for the wagon to turn over and start to slide and she thanked everything she’d put her goggles on today instead of her glasses. Everything went sideways and she felt her head smack the side of the wagon hard, and felt something hit her. Once everything stopped moving there was a crack across one of her lenses. She gave a small groan as dust settled, her head was throbbing and Krista had knocked the breath from her when she’d hit.

                “Come here,” Hanji recognized the voice of the bandit’s leader and then Krista’s weight was gone. Soon she was getting hauled to her feet as well. Beside her the leader held a sickle to Krista’s throat and her lovely babysitter had a gun trained on her yet again. She held her hands up in a loose shrug, a nonchalant look on her face that looked out of place among the looks of anger and horror around her.

                “You know, I’ve been in more danger today than all week,” Hanji said thoughtfully as Marco’s squad came over the rise.

                “Stay back! Drop your weapons,” the leader yelled. “Hand over your gear without another word.” Hanji stared down Jean, daring him to drop her gear on the ground when the joyful look on Armin’s face made her listen to their surroundings. Suddenly she laughed, causing the man with the gun to tremble slightly.

                “Boss,” he said quietly, disturbed by the woman in front of him. In front of them the cadets had started to drop their gear.

                “Jean!” Hanji whined when her gear hit the ground. “It takes so long to get gear how I like it!”

                “Well sorry for trying to keep your crazy ass alive,” Jean muttered. Hanji laughed, figuring he hadn’t meant for her to hear.

                “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” the leader said. “I survived the titan invasion, but I can’t grow shit in this wasteland. And to think I’d always told my daughter not to be a burden on others.” Hanji frowned slightly, though she found it hard to be sympathetic towards someone who was holding a sickle to one of her cadet’s throats.

                “Get on with it,” the man with the gun yelled at the others, his finger inching closer to the trigger. There was a flurry of noise and suddenly Annie and Mikasa were standing with their swords at each man’s throat, both being disarmed within seconds. Krista gasped and Hanji stretched.

                “Mikasa?” Eren gasped as the girl leveled her sword at the leader’s throat.

                “Good job girls,” Hanji said. “You didn’t even take off a hand, I’m impressed.”

                “Don’t kill him!” Krista cried, taking everyone by surprise. Hanji tilted her head in curiosity. There were several tense moments when the squad leader thought that Mikasa would do it anyway.

                “Okay,” Mikasa said finally, lowering her sword, allowing the man to drop to the ground.

                “You guys okay?” Annie asked. Hanji took a survey of everyone’s condition. A few bruises and scrapes on the cadets, and her own bruised jaw and aching head. But they were all alive.

                “Ne, I thought I told you all to stay,” Hanji said suddenly. The gathered cadets all looked around sheepishly. Hanji shook her head for a moment before bursting out in laughter, she held her arms out and looked up at the sky. She really needed sleep. “Armin, red flare please.” She said after removing her cracked goggles to wipe her eyes.

                “Ah, yes ma’am!” Armin said fumbling with the flare gun, causing Jean to roll his eyes and snatch it from the boy. Soon enough the sky was filled with red smoke. A few moments later an answering signal in green was seen.

                “Ah, always reliable,” Hanji laughed. She sat down and let out a breath. Soon a small squad of soldiers were riding up, all wearing the Wings of Freedom emblem. “Thank god, trustworthy people!”

                “What have you gotten yourself into shitty glasses?” Levi swung down from his horse, which upon further examination wasn’t his horse at all.

                “OH YOU FOUND TITAN!” Hanji cried happily from her spot on the ground. Behind him, his squad members began unmounting as well.

                “Your horse is smarter than you are,” Levi muttered. “Turned up at HQ and Erwin sent us out immediately.” He ignored the cadets and the chaos around him and crouched down to look at her jaw. “Which one did it?” He asked, a dark look in his eyes.

                “Oh dear,” Hanji laughed seeing her babysitter gulp suddenly. “Love, did I not mention that I would have words with someone about some very rude things you said?” She asked peering around Levi to look at the now crying man. Apologies were flying from his mouth already.

                “Tch,” Levi muttered standing up. “Petra, round up the cadets and start getting reports. Eld, Gunter,” Levi nodded at the bandits. “Tie up our guests. Oulo, head straight back to Wall Sina to get the MPs.”

                “Yes sir!” The Special Ops squad immediately went about their work. In mere minutes Petra had the cadets sitting down and was talking to them one at a time, starting with Marco.

                “Um, C-captain L-levi sir,” Krista’s timid voice made Hanji smile even as Levi started to glower at the girl.

                “Stable girl,” he muttered.

                “Levi!” Hanji admonished.

                “Miss Hanji hit her head sir, when the wagon turned over,” Krista fidgeted slightly. “I just thought you should know because she seems like the type to brush things off.” She skittered back over to the other cadets, squeezing in between Armin and Mina.     

                “She’s got you down to the last peg shitty glasses,” Levi said looking the scientist back over, finding the bump quickly. He poked it causing Hanji to spit out curses. He rolled his eyes and grabbed Hanji’s hair tie, pulling it out so that her hair fell down over her shoulders. “Make sure to stay awake.” He finally muttered he stood up his eyes narrowing at the discarded gear on the ground. “Why the fuck is your gear over here shitty glasses?”

                “Hm?” Hanji looked up. “Oh yeah, Jean was using it. Oh hey Levi!” The man raised a brow. “I knocked a guy out. But I need new boot knives.”

                “And you said it was a stupid thing,” Levi shook his head as he gathered Hanji’s gear. “The rest of you brats will clean up your own gear as soon as you’re done talking to Petra do you understand me?” They all nodded vigorously, save for Mikasa and Annie that is. Hanji nearly laughed at the look on Eren’s face, she was sure the boy would start drooling any moment now. “I’ll get you new knives, don’t worry about it.”

                “Look what you’ve reduced my cadets to!” Hanji laughed. “All obedient and quiet. Seriously this is the longest Jean and Eren have ever gone without fighting!” Hanji’s words struck a chord with Mikasa.

                “Oh yeah,” the girl stood up and towered over Jean, causing the boy to gulp. Hanji lurched to her feet, her world spinning for a moment before settling, ready to interrupt should the girl decide today was the day that Jean died.

                “Sit down,” Levi barked narrowing his eyes at the girl. “Now.” Mikasa glowered over her shoulder but eventually went back to her spot between Eren and Armin.

                “Squad leader,” Hanji looked up to see Eld holding a water skin. “Do you need water?” He asked.

                “After she done drinking be sure to dump some over her head, wash her greasy hair so that her head doesn’t get an infection,” Levi said as Hanji reached for the water.

                “How rude,” Hanji muttered, feeling the exhaustion from the past week come barreling in at once. She didn’t think that Eld would actually dump the water rover her head, thought she should have known. She was pretty sure that Levi’s squad didn’t even take orders from Erwin anymore. She squeaked when the cold water dripped down her back.

                “Squad leader?” She heard Jean say. The few cadets not in the know were staring at her, and even the ones that knew she was Survey Corps looked at her in a new light. She swore Eren’s gaze went cloudy again.

                “Thanks Eld,” Hanji said. “Now Eren’s going to follow me like a puppy.”

                “You’re always asking Erwin for a pet,” Levi said rolling his eyes.

                “Well yeah, a pet titan, not a cadet,” Hanji said laughing. “If I had to pick a cadet it would be Armin,” after a seconds pause. “Or Krista.” This brought arguing up through the gathered cadets. Hanji smirked and lay back, closing her eyes.

                “No sleeping dumbass, you probably have a concussion,” Levi’s voice was just barely laced with worry.

                “Did I apologize to Olou?” Hanji asked, not opening her eyes.

                “No.”

                “Remind me to later?” Hanji said. She swore she could feel Levi’s stare before she heard him sigh.

                “Yeah.”

 

**_*S*_ **

****

                It was sunset before the MPs arrived, and thanks to Petra’s talking to the cadets she could give a summarized report until written ones could be handed in, allowing them to leave sooner. Hanji was slightly embarrassed at having to ride back with Levi, but was also grateful that she could shut her eyes and rest her head on his back. Levi sent his squad back to HQ but escorted the cadets and Hanji back to the training camp. Hanji, Eren, Jean, and Krista were immediately ushered off to the infirmary where Hanji would likely spend the next few days. Having had several concussions before getting yet another one wasn’t a good thing. At least she had the notebook of Ilse Langner to read to keep her busy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew yet another chapter down. Thank goodness. Sorry dears, you can’t think that I would just leave Levi out of this. He’s my favorite character aside from Hanji. (I suppose one of the easiest for me to write as well. As my friend is constantly telling me I’m more like Levi than I’m willing to admit.) Next chapter shit starts to hit the fan. Where this lovely story earns it’s rating. (Kind of XD) 
> 
> Anyway, questions, concerns, or comments can be left as a review or sent as a PM. I love hearing from you all!


	6. I See Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this will be the last update for a while, simply because my mom just got out of the hospital and I'm having to take care of her right now and I honestly shouldn't have left her today, but I had some other things to do and I'm taking the time to update this real quick.

_This is what’s inside your heart right now. A sky that has become this lovely will not always remain sunny. There will be times when rain will fall and storms will carry on. The scenery will change, but if it is left alone, it will stay changed forever. For that, you must continue to fight, because that is to live. To live is to fight._

**_Shinku, 5th Rozen Maiden Doll (Rozen Maiden)_ **

****

**_*S*_ **

****

**Chapter 6: I See Fire**

Two years passed quickly, during which Hanji would disappear from the training camp from time to time to visit her babies, Albert and Chiqatilo, the titans that Erwin had finally allowed her to capture for study. That is until she accidentally killed them. While she was doing that, the cadets were finally moving forward with leaps and bounds, it was easy to see who would be going where as far as rankings went. In Hanji’s own opinion, if Mikasa had got anything less than first something would have been rigged. Now, 218 cadets would be graduating, currently Hanji stood with the rest of the trainers as the 104th Cadets were addressed. Hanji let her eyes roam over the cadets, lingering on the top ten. In a way she’d been shocked at the rankings, Eren had heart for sure, but she’d honestly expected Jean to come out ahead of him. And she knew for a fact that Ymir had held herself back in order to get Krista in on the top ten. Probably in hopes that the girl would chose the MPs, but Krista had already been talking to Hanji about the Scouts.

                She knew that after the kids were dismissed they would be celebrating, but she also knew that the poor things would have to get up bright and early to clean the canons on the walls as one last act as cadets. She chuckled as she made her way back to her dorm, the Survey Corps would be heading out tomorrow on another expedition, however she would be remaining behind in order to see those she trained graduate. She was passing the hall when she heard a small sniffle, she paused and looked back.

                “Eren?” She said quizzically. She’d never known the boy to cry, and when he look up she realized they were tears of frustration and anger. “Now dear, what’s wrong? You should be celebrating!” She walked over and sat on the steps in front of him. Not shockingly they were soon joined by Mikasa and Armin.

                “People don’t understand!” Eren said, his hands clenched as fists. Hanji nodded slightly and gave a small noise of acknowledgement, she knew what he must be getting at.

                “Eren dear, you have to understand that most people join the military so they have some stability in life,” Hanji said gently. “Surely you know that the Survey Corps take in the least amount of recruits each year and out of the ones they take in 80% die in their first mission.”

                “I know that!” Eren snapped, his turquoise eyes flashing as he glared at the squad leader in front of him. Hanji had sat Eren down after the failed excursion two years ago and explained many things about the Survey Corps, things that most wouldn’t know. She knew that the teen was dead set on joining, but she was going to make sure he didn’t have false dreams of grandeur.

                “Eren gave quite the speech back in there,” Armin said quietly.

                “Most of it was stuff Armin used to say back in the day,” Eren said looking down at his hands. Armin watched his friend, then looked over at Mikasa and then at Hanji, who was watching the three of them carefully.

                “I’m joining the Survey Corps too,” he said, his head held high. Hanji had to resist squealing as she grabbed Armin’s hand.

                “Be in my squad!” She cried happily. She would love to have that brain working under her. And Moblit would probably appreciate a second voice of reason. Armin looked nervous as he gently took his hand back.

                “Don’t be stupid Armin! You’re not a fighter,” Eren said.

                “That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be an asset,” Hanji said. “There are plenty of people like Armin in the Corps, myself included. I would even dare say to put him in the same mindset of the commander.” The blonde blushed heavily at Hanji’s praise.

                “I’m through with letting other people fight for me,” Armin said. Hanji felt her heart swell as she studied the teens in front of her, they’d all grown so much from that first day. She remembered that Armin used to not be able to look at Shadis without turning into a quivering mess. And now he was standing up to Eren for his own beliefs.

                “Guess it’s the Scouts for me too then,” Mikasa said suddenly. Hanji thought Eren would have whiplash at how fast he turned to glare at his adopted sister.

                “Oh come on now! You were top of the class! You’d be wasting your shot!” Eren said. Hanji nearly snorted. Pot meet kettle.

                 “Now now,” Hanji said. “Plenty of top ten soldiers chose the Survey Corps. I did. Mike did. The commander did. There have even been instances of people switching from the MPs to the Corps.” Mikasa nodded her thanks and continued.

                “Understand this Eren, where you go, I go,” the black-haired girl raised her head to look at the sky. “I made a promise to your mom that I would look after you. I’ve got your back whether you like it or not. So just deal with it.” Eren looked at her stunned as Hanji fought to keep the grin off of her face. She couldn’t wait until realization of their feelings hit the two of them like a brick house. Oh what she would give to see the looks on their faces.

                “Yeah well…” Eren looked away from her and laced his hand in his hair. “Mom’s not here.”

                “A lot of people I used to care about aren’t here either,” Mikasa reminded him. There was silence, and Hanji frowned slightly. These kids had known so much loss in their life, and by joining the Survey Corps they were just opening themselves up to more. Though, that’s what she did as well. The only three surviving people from her class were her, Mike, and Nanaba. Finally Hanji stood up.

                “Don’t be so hard on others Eren,” she said. “Everyone has a choice to make and for some it’s harder than others. Sometimes it takes a tragedy to make people see into the hearts of others.” She sighed and then smiled brightly. “Goodnight! I’ll see you all tomorrow!” She waved her hand absently as she skipped down the steps. She was unsurprised to see Levi waiting for her around the corner.

                “You never showed up at your room,” the man said as she fell in beside him.

                “Oh well, reassuring kids you know,” she said laughing. Levi nodded.

                “You can keep Arlert, but hands off Ackerman,” he said finally. Hanji’s laugh filled the air.

                “Deal.”

 

**_*S*_ **

****

                When Hanji woke up the next morning Levi was gone. Not surprising. He would have to go get ready for his mission today while she got ready to help sort out cadets. She was met by a handful of them at the edge of the training camp.

                “We heard that the Survey Corps were leaving today, and we haven’t seen them off since we were kids,” Armin said.

                “Mind if I join you?” Hanji asked with a smile.

                “Not at all,” Eren said. He seemed to have recovered from whatever was going on last night.

                “Well let’s go then,” Hanji said. “We’ll miss them if we don’t hurry.” When they got to the Trost gates there was already a crowd formed. Hanji pushed her way through, the cadets following her in order to see better.

                “Will you point out who is who?” A girl with a ponytail and freckles asked her. They’d revealed what military branch the active trainers were from the night before. She was sure her name was Hanna. And that made the boy next to her Franz.

                “Sure thing,” Hanji said as Erwin came through, his white horse gleaming as usual. She quickly pointed out Mike and Levi, who were flanking the commander on either side. It was a small group going today. Erwin leading Mike’s, Levi’s, and the rest of Hanji’s squad out for a quick mission. One she hoped brought back a titan for her. “Yoo-hoo! Erwin bring me back a titan okay?” She called as the commander rode past. The man rolled his eyes and shook his head, but Hanji caught the smile on his face. The cadets stared at her as if she’d grown another head, how could she be so informal with her commander?

                “Look!” A man standing next to Hanji suddenly pointed, his arm nearly smacking her in the face. “There’s Captain Levi! They say he’s like an entire brigade to himself.” Levi, who was now in front of them snorted.

                “Spare me,” he said loudly. Hanji laughed, she loved watching Levi get flustered over his “adoring fans”.

                “You should smile more Levi!” She called after him. “After all, you represent the Survey Corps, wouldn’t want to disappoint your adoring fans would we?” She cackled loudly when he turned around and glared at her. He raised his arm as he turned back around and pointed his middle finger up. “Oh but you did that last night too!” She swore she saw his neck snap in half as he turned around to glare at her yet again. She could hear Mike’s booming laugh from here. She turned to see a bright red Mikasa and an oblivious Eren and Armin.

                “Do you feel how excited everyone is?” Eren said. “It’s just like the crowd has a different energy now.” Hanji knew she should probably warn them about what was said when they came back from missions that were deemed failures.

                “Well we are going on five years without incident,” Hanna said. “Seems like a good omen.”

                “And you should check out all the canon upgrades, the sight alone should be enough to scare them off,” Franz said smiling down at Hanna. Hanji didn’t have the heart to ruin such a peaceful moment.

                “That’s the truth,” Hanna said smiling back.

                “You in denial because you’re a couple?” Eren asked angrily. “What’s that all about huh?”

                “Whoa whoa whoa,” Hanna said hiding her face and waving her arm. “This isn’t what it looks like okay?”

                “Knock it off man it’s embarrassing,” Franz’s face was bright red. Still, Hanji was unsure if they were mocking Eren or being serious. She chuckled as Eren glowered at the two and Armin laughed nervously.

                “Well well, lookie here,” Hanji’s head snapped up to see two Garrison soldiers walking towards them.

                “Mr. Hannes,” Eren said, surprise tinging his voice.

 “Word on the street is they let you graduate yesterday,” the man Eren had addressed as Hannes said, a grin on his face. Hanji watched Franz and Hanna sneak off while Mikasa, Eren, and Armin turned their attention towards the man.

“Well,” Hanji interrupted for a moment. “I have to get back before Shadis sends someone after me, can’t be Mike this time!” There had been a point, back when her titans Albert and Chiqatilo were still alive, when Shadis would send a messenger to HQ and then Erwin would send Mike after her, because he knew that neither Moblit nor Levi would be able to get her away from the titans.

“Oh, see you later Miss Hanji!” Armin called happily, Mikasa and Eren nodded at her and she nodded at the Garrison soldiers as she walked off. She reported to her station, after getting her gear of course, they would be working on top of the walls today. Then it was just a waiting game to check on the cadets and make sure they did a good job cleaning the canons and loading them for use. It was when she was inspecting Jean’s group when suddenly there was a strange bolt of lightning and a loud crash.

“What the?” Hanji spun around to try and find where the noise source was coming from. Even she had to admit, seeing the Colossal titan up close was daunting and she was on the other side of Trost, pretty much the whole district in between them. There was a moment of silence and then another loud crash. She heard the cadets behind her scream and she knew what happened. The Colossal titan had broken the Trost gate. “WHOSE SQUAD WAS TAKING CARE OF THE CANONS IN THAT AREA?” She yelled, taking control in a panic situation was something she was used to. No one answered her. She spun around, the cadets were frozen. “Jean!” Hanji snapped walking up to him and getting in his face. “Whose squad?” She asked again. The boy blinked.

“E-ern’s,” Jean managed to snap out.

“Get to the Garrison HQ now!” Hanji snapped, she pulled her triggers up in her hands. “Pass the message along if you can.” She jumped off the wall, using her gear to get her down to the rooftops as gently as possible. People were already beginning to panic as she started running. She used her gear sparingly, only to cross rooftops every now and then. By the time Hanji reached the wall and scaled it the Colossal was gone and Eren’s squad was huddled together, eyes wide with fear.

“D-did you see it?” Connie asked her as she walked past him to look down like Thomas was. Eren was hanging off the side by his gear.

“Eren please tell me you didn’t try to fight it?” She called.

“He did,” she heard someone mutter behind her. Eren used his gear to get back on top of the wall.

“I’m sorry, I let him escape,” he said, a frown on his face.

“Unfortunately that is the least of our worries right now,” Hanji said looking down. Titans were already gathering.

“What are you all doing?” A Garrison soldier landed next to them, the cadets falling into a salute immediately. “The plans for the Colossal’s reappearance has already started, get back to HQ immediately and don’t forget to file a report if you came into contact with it!”

“Yes sir!” The cadets said as the soldier ran past them.

“Best of luck to you and the advanced team sir!” Connie yelled. Hanji watched as the Garrison soldier leapt down. She knew they would never see him again.

“Come now,” Hanji said. “We’ll be needed.” Her face was hard. With Erwin and the most skilled Survey Corps members out it would be hard to keep the city. It was already well into the afternoon, and even if they were to somehow turn around now, it would be late into the night, if not early the next day when they returned. And then most of them would be too exhausted to fight properly.

“Squad leader?” Hanji’s head snapped up suddenly, hearing her rank. The cadets were looking at her.

“Right,” Hanji said. “Let’s go.” As they ran on the rooftops, evacuations below had already begun. The bells ringing alerting all nearby military personnel that there was an emergency. “Shit,” she muttered. “I need to get a message through to Nanaba.” Usually when the Scouts left on a mission one or two squads were chosen to stay behind at HQ. She hadn’t seen Nanaba’s squad when the others had lined up this morning, so she must be back at HQ. And even as they neared the Garrison’s HQ they heard the canons start to go off. Once they’d arrived, Hanji immediately sent the cadets to gather in the court yard as she ran through to the office.

“Zoe,” Jackson was inside when she came skidding to a halt.

“I need someone to carry a message to the Survey Corps main headquarters,” Hanji said. Jackson nodded and waved over a slightly terrified Garrison member. Hanji told the boy, probably a recruit from the 103rd Cadet Corps, exactly what he would need to tell Nanaba and sent him off. Outside someone was already speaking to cadets as full-fledged soldiers rushed around gathering their gear.

“You should re-stock on gas,” Shadis said walking past her. “They’ll send you out on the front lines just for being Survey Corps.” His eyes were narrowed. “God help you if they give you an incompetent group of cadets.” With that he walked off. The cadets had been released to re-supply on gas and make sure their blades were sharp. Hanji would like to say that the chaos was organized, but it was panic induced. Most of these cadets had thought they’d never have to fight a titan. Hanji passed Jean who looked to be on the verge of a breakdown and pointed Marco in his direction. She headed straight for the gas supply, dismayed at how little gas there was. They could say they were prepared if it made them feel better… However. She hoped the evacuation went along quickly.

“Armin are you okay?” Eren’s raised voice brought Hani’s attention to the blonde as he was trying to refill his gas tanks. His hands were shaking too hard.

“I’m okay, I’ll be fine in a second,” Armin said. Hanji crouched down beside him and placed a hand on top of his to stop the shaking. Armin and Eren both looked up at her.

“It’ll be alright Armin,” She said. She was used to spouting lies in the face of terror. Used to telling people that they made a difference when really they didn’t. “Just take a few deep breaths okay. If you’re lucky you won’t even have to see a titan because the advanced team will be doing its job.”

“But… we lack the means to fix the hole in a swift manner…” Armin said. “And we lack the gas needed for an all-out offensive.”

“Good thing we’re on the defensive then huh?” Hanji said taking the hose from one of the big gas tanks. She fiddled with her gear’s tanks for a moment before quietly filling them up, half-listening to Eren and Mikasa talking Armin through this.

“T-titans are in the city!” A panicked yell rang out through the basement. There was silence that was replaced by even more activity as the Garrison soldiers tried to hurry re-supplying along.

“Squad Leader Hanji Zoe!” She heard the captain in charge of the Trost Garrison branch, a man named Woerman, yell for her. She cast one last look over her shoulder at Armin and his friends before hurrying forward.

“Sir,” she said snapping into a salute. It took all of her strength not to grimace, of all the people she’d have to deal with it would be him.  

“You’re the best shot we’ve got right now,” the man said. “You’ll be leading a squad on the frontline now that the advanced teams have been wiped out.” Hanji fought to keep the grimace off her face.

“Yes sir!” She said.

“Go out and await orders if you’ve already re-supplied.” Hanji nodded, her face expressionless as she nearly sprinted up the stairs and into the courtyard. She took her usual spot in front of the cadets that were already gathered to wait on the rest. The minutes drug by painfully slow until finally all the Cadets and Garrison soldiers stationed at Trost were gathered. “Under the Garrison’s command you will form supply and information routes as you take care of any titan you may encounter. The Garrison’s intercept squad will form the vanguard as well as a select squad under command of Survey Corps Squad Leader Hanji Zoe! The rest of the cadets will form the middle guard and the Garrison elites will take rear guard.” Hanji nearly sneered at the man’s back. What the hell did she count as if not elite? There was little she could do with a squad of cadets fresh out of training and scared out of their minds. They had no reason to be in the vanguard. “Yes, it is true, the advanced response team has been wiped out and titans are in the city. We are running under the assumption that the Armored titan could show up at any time and take out the gate to Wall Rose. Today you all have one goal! Protect the civilians until everyone is safely within the inner wall.” The man paused. “And I’m sure you all know that treason is punishable by death! Keep that in mind as you offer up your lives! Dismissed!” The cadets in the courtyard saluted, despite the fact that half of them were crying.

“Woerman!” Hanji snapped as the man walked by her. “I refuse to take a squad of cadets into the vanguard sir!” She stared the man down. He was terrified, she could tell. He may be in command here, but by all means he and Hanji were of equal rank.

“Do you what you will,” Woerman finally spat. Hanji watched him leave as cadets scattered. Breaking into squads. She watched as Krista tried to comfort a boy who was losing his lunch all over the cobblestone, watched as cadets curled into balls, crying over their misfortune, watched as Jean and Eren argued even now and she knew. She knew that today would not bode well for anyone. She watched as Jean walked away from Eren and pulled the boy that Krista was comforting to his feet.

“Kirstein!” Hanji yelled suddenly. “Your squad is with me.” The boy looked up confused but nodded.

“Yes ma’am!” Jean yelled, saluting her. So here she was, leading a squad of cadets to their possible deaths. Something she’d done countless times before. Suffice to say, it never got easier. She adjusted her ponytail and the wind ruffled her hair and clothes. She and Jean’s squad were on a roof overlooking the town. Even from here she could hear the screams of pain and fear. Her eyes narrowed slightly when she saw a titan enter her field of vision. She raised a sword.

“Stay close and keep an eye out!” She said, eyeing each cadet. “Don’t try to take down a titan on your own.”

“Yes ma’am!” The cadets chorused, their own swords drawn and ready.

“For the glory of humanity!” Hanji yelled as she launched her gear. _Sorry Erwin,_ she thought as she flew towards the titan. _I needed something to get their spirits up._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Death and destruction may start next chapter. (They kinda do.) But I'll shoot for possibly a Valentine's Day update, we shall see. Thank you all so much for putting up with me and my horrible updating skills! I love you all. 
> 
> I do have a Tumblr, though I don't use it much for Fanfiction so much as my cosplay stuff. But if you like feel free to check it out. I do have the first chapter of another Levihan story on there. -shimmerz-.tumblr.com 
> 
> As always if there are any questions, concerns, or comments feel free to leave a comment or PM me on any of my various social media accounts. (I can always be found under Shimmerz Fanfiction or Shimmerz Cosplay.)


	7. Fear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it's taken so long to get a new chapter up. There's been so much going on in my personal life and I'm not going to promise that updating will get better. Just know that I haven't given up on this and won't until it's completed!

 

_I must not fear. Fear us the mind-killer, fear us the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I remain._

_**Frank Herbert** _

_***S*** _

**Chapter 7: Fear**

Keeping terrified cadets alive was a bit harder than Hanji expected it would be. Her squad thankfully was completely intact, however one of the squads they'd run into was decimated. She could tell that their screams were haunting their friends, and she wished she could tell them that it gets easier, that eventually you forget. But you never really do. Even now Hanji could remember a time when she'd been filled with rage because her friends and comrades had been eaten. She paused on a roof, her eyes scanning the surrounding area, it was clear for the time being, but what was taking the evacuation so long? At this point they would run out of gas before long.

"Stay here for now," Hanji said once the cadets had landed behind her. She caught eyes with Jean and nodded slightly. "Keep a sharp eye out."

"Y-you're leaving us?" Marco asked, his hands were trembling slightly.

"I'm going to try and find out why the evacuation is taking so long," Hanji said. "You should be fine, just remember your training." Unfortunately that was all the advice she could give. She jumped, letting her gear move her forward, she knew she had less gas then most of the cadets. She'd used it to try and keep them from having to face a titan head on alone. Looking back now maybe it would have been better if she hadn't.

"Someone help us please!" A loud wail brought Hanji two streets over, seeing Armin and Hanna bent over a still body.

"You need to get off the ground," Hanji said landing near them. Up close she saw that the body was Franz, he was missing his entire lower half, but Hanna was still trying CPR.

"No!" Hanna cried looking up at her, tears streaming down her face. There was even a smudge of blood on her cheek. "I'm not leaving him like this!"

"You really don't understand do you?" Armin asked quietly, his own eyes were watering and his voice was cracking. "Franz is—," Hanji held out her arm, stopping Armin. She crouched down and gently took Hanna's hands in her own.

"Hanna, you have to stop," she said quietly. "It won't bring him back. You have to let him go." Hanna wailed slightly and wrenched her hands out of Hanji's before returning to her previous actions.

"Please stop doing that," Armin said, Hanji looked up to see him pushing the heels of his hands into his eyes to stop the tears. She sighed and stood up, a lump was in her throat, but she pushed it down. There was no more time to waste.

"Come on Armin," Hanji said. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the rest of his squad was probably dead, if he was here all alone. Hell, maybe even Hanna and Franz were the last two. She didn't even know who he'd been with.

"But Hanna?" Armin said looking up at her.

"Leave her," she had to push bile down in her throat. It was harsh but, when one lost the will to live there was nothing you could do. "If we force her she'd resent us. Its better this way." She launched her gear and landed lightly on a nearby roof and started walking, Armin close behind her. "Walk as much as possible to save your gas." The two of them carried on in silence before they heard it, the bells were ringing. A retreat was being signaled. Hanji grimaced and tapped her tanks. She knew there wasn't enough gas to get over the walls, and she was willing to be that it was that way with all the cadets. "Well shit." She muttered. She stopped and looked around, cadets were starting to drop in around her, and she shook her head.

"Miss Hanji!" Hanji looked up to see Jean land on the same roof as she and Armin, whom had gone to curl up by himself.

"Nearly out of gas?" She questioned. Jean nodded with a tense look on his face. "Yeah same here. I think everyone is. We should head to HQ and fill up on gas quickly."

"It would be useless," Ymir cam to stand nearby, keeping one eye on Krista. "There are titans swarming the place." She nodded at the tower nearby. "You can see for yourself if you'd like." Hanji shook her head, she would trust Ymir's word.

"So we're all just going to sit here and wait to be eaten?" Jean asked angrily.

"No," Hanji said, interrupting Connie, who'd opened his mouth to speak. "We're going to sit here and think of a plan to get the titans off of and out of HQ." She re-adjusted her goggles and looked around. "It's asking a lot out of all of you!" She raised her voice to be heard. "Especially after what you've all been through today! But we have to reach HQ and we have to defeat the titans there." She paused, the cadets were still trembling, or looking away from her. Unwilling to risk their lives any further. "If we don't we'll all die out here. Being in their territory without your gear is an instant death sentence."

"Do we even have the numbers to pull something like this off?" Jean asked, he'd slumped down with his head between his knees. Hanji sighed, honestly with the cadets probably not, had they all been Survey Corps members all she'd have needed was Levi and Erwin and they could have done it themselves. She found herself wishing for the umpteenth time that Erwin was back, he'd figure out a plan in minutes. Sure, she was smart, but she was no strategist and was used to making reckless moves, and with the cadets all looking toward her…

"It's hopeless…" Connie muttered taking a step back at the look on Hanji's face. Not a single one of them had ever seen the cheerful, often scatterbrained woman so serious. Jean was still trying to recover from watching her taunt the titans earlier, the look in her eyes was crazy.

"Yeah, what a dull life this turned out to be," Jean muttered grabbing a handful of hair.

"Come on guys we can do it!" Sasha stepped forward with a hopeful look. "Right? I mean, Hanji is here! She knows what she's doing!" A few cadets gave a half-hearted groan, unsure of Hanji's presence being good or bad. "So let's go! If we all work together we can make this happen! I know we can!" No one moved.

"It was a nice try Sasha," Hanji said putting a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Go check on Armin for me will you?" As the girl ran off towards the slumped blonde Hanji looked around. Everyone was grim, very few were still in upright positions and there were more tears then there had been rain. Where was Eren? She hated to think that the boy had died, he'd had so much potential and she could use his drive right about now. She let out a low growl and started pacing back and forth, her mind working over any and every possibility there could possibly be. They had to get to HQ and clear it, there was no other way.

"Mikasa?" A shout made Hanji turn, seeing the dark-haired girl running across the roof towards them.

"Weren't you with the rear guard?" Hanji asked. She was ignored.

"Annie!" Mikasa said slowing down in front of the blonde. "I know how bad things have gotten, its selfish putting personal matters in the forefront, but have you seen Eren's squad?"

"Some squads made it back," Annie said. She turned her head. "But I don't know about Eren's." Hanji sighed, MIA usually turns up to be KIA.

"We found Armin," Reiner said suddenly. "He's over there."

"Armin!" Mikasa ran past Hanji and the others to get to her childhood friend, who had looked up in terror. "Armin, are you okay?" Mikasa dropped to her knees in front of the boy as Hanji moved closer. Everyone's attention was on the two of them. It was a distraction, at least for the time being. "You're not hurt are you?" Armin shook his head and Mikasa stood up looking around, scanning nearby rooftops. "Where's Eren?"

"Mikasa," Hanji said gently. She highly doubted that the girl would want to hear the answer that waited for her.

"Armin?" Mikasa's voice was shaky and when Armin looked up tears were streaming down his face.

"They were…" Armin looked down. "The cadets of squad 34, Thomas Wagner, Nok Tearse, Mylius, Mina Carolina," he breath hitched. "Eren Jaeger. These brave five upheld their duties. They died valiantly in the field of battle." Armin broke down in sobs and Hanji closed her eyes.

"Please no," Sasha said. Everyone around them wore looks of surprise and terror. Hanji could practically hear their thoughts. After all, if Eren, who worked so hard and was 5th in their class died at the hands of the titans. What chance did they stand? And she knew that the news wouldn't help in getting the cadets to HQ.

"The same will happen to us if we try to take on those titans!" A cadet cried.

"Keep quiet!" Hanji yelled looking over her shoulder. Her patience was wearing thin, surely they knew what would happen if they just stayed here. Something had to be decided, and it had to be decided soon.

"I'm so sorry Mikasa," Armin cired, refusing to look up. "It should have been me that died, not him. I- I couldn't do a thing! I'm worthless." Hanji crouched down near Armin's shoulder and put a hand on his head.

"You aren't worthless Armin," Hanji said. "You're all fresh out of training. And even then, when you make it past this and move on, should you still chose to be in the Survey Corps you'll be forced into more rigorous training. To prevent events like this. None of you were prepared for this. Not really." Her words rang through the heads of the cadets and Mikasa placed her hand over Armin's.

"Calm yourself," she said gently, even though Hanji could see that her eyes were hard and unfeeling. It sent a shiver down her spine to see it, usually those eyes didn't come up until after a third expedition. "We don't have time for you to get emotional right now. On your feet." She stood up, dragging Armin with her. After a moment, Hanji stood as well, curious as to what Mikasa was doing. "Squad Leader Hanji, if we bypass the titans or eliminate them and refuel our gear we can get back over the wall. Is that assessment correct?"

"Well yes dear," Hanji said. "But, forcing your classmates to head into a situation when they're already terrified isn't smart, it'll just end in more casualties."

"I'll take point!" Mikasa said suddenly, drawing one of her swords.

"D-did you just hear what I said?" Hanji asked blinking. She certainly hadn't been expecting the words to come out of the girl's mouth. "Mikasa, you can't force them to die."

"I'm strong! Real strong!" Mikasa yelled at Hanji, her voice carrying over to the cadets on other rooftops. "None of you come close! You hear me? I am a warrior! Know this, I have the power to slay all of the titans that block our path!" Hanji stared at the girl with wide eyes, her mouth agape. Did she really think that? She narrowed her eyes and covered her mouth with her hand, cupping her elbow with the other. The girl certainly reminded her of Levi, in looks and in levels of cockiness. _'Hmmm, maybe I'll have some new research to do…'_ She thought at Mikasa continued her speech. "Even if I have to do this all alone. As far as I'm concerned, I'm surrounded by a bunch of unskilled cowardly worms!" She lowered her sword and pointed it forward, towards Hanji. "You disappoint me. You can just sit here and twiddle your thumbs and watch how it's done."

"Wait Mikasa! Are you out of your mind? That's crazy!" A cadet came forward.

"Well I certainly hope that speech wasn't aimed completely at me!" Hanji laughed despite the slight anger in her stomach. Then her face grew serious. "If you go alone you'll die. And then where would that leave Armin? Throwing your life away because Eren is dead doesn't do anybody any favors!" The cadets turned their attention towards her. "Take point if you like, however, when it comes down to it you'll do well to remember who your superiors are." She could have sworn the tiniest blush crept up on the girl's cheeks. She looked down and then back up.

"If I lose then I die, but if I win then I live, and the only way to win is to fight," with that she turned around and jumped from the building, gear already in motion.

"H-hey!" Hanji yelled after her. "Erwin help me, is this how you feel when Levi and I ignore everything you say?" She muttered to herself as the cadets around her started to stir.

"Well don't just stand there!" Jean yelled. "We weren't taught to let our comrades fight alone! Unless you are a coward, in which case stay out of my way." He took off, Connie close behind and Hanji smiled. They've grown up, she realized. Finally. She turned to smile at Armin who was wiping his eyes.

"Shall we then?" She asked with a smile. Around them people were finally moving, following Mikasa. Soon the air was full of cries, battle cries, people trying to raise themselves up. "Yahoo!" Hanji yelled as she jumped off the roof, catching up with Mikasa in no time, helping lead the pack of cadets. "Oh you beautiful thing," Hanji cried as a titan came into view. "How I wish I could keep you but you seem to be in my way!" She laughed loudly as she flipped over its head and brought her swords down on its nape.

"Whoa, Mikasa is really badass," Connie said, bringing Hanji's attention to the girl. She was flying meters away from the rest of them. "How is she going so fast?" Hanji opened her mouth to yell at the girl when another titan came out of nowhere, distracting her and by the time she was done with it, Mikasa was already going down.

"No! Mikasa!" Armin yelled, changing direction immediately.

"Armin wait!" Hanji yelled, she and Connie shot off after the boy. "Jean take point! Get them to HQ safely! We'll get Armin and Mikasa and met you there!" Hanji growled lowly as she and Connie followed Armin, looking for the downed cadet. They didn't have enough gas to go off after someone who was reckless. Perhaps this really is what Erwin felt when it came to her. She made a mental reminder to apologize her commander and beg for forgiveness later. A loud roar made Hanji and Connie both flinch.

"What the hell was that?" Connie asked, in front of them Armin had looked to the side before he shot down, disappeared from view momentarily, only to reappear seconds later with Mikasa. "He found her!" Connie said shooting off to meet the two. Hanji and Connie landed beside the two.

"Are you guys okay?" Hanji asked looking down at the now rumpled Mikasa. Both of them nodded. "Then we need to lea—," Heavy footsteps interrupted her as two 15-meter titans came into view. Hanji nearly drooled.

"Oh crap," Connie muttered.

"Look at them," Hanji breathed taking in the sight. "Aren't they beautiful?" Connie and Armin looked at her as if she'd grown a second head. "The discoveries we could make if we had one of them!"

"You might be right," Mikasa said suddenly.

"Eh?" Hanji and Connie both said looking at the girl.

"That one is different," she pointed at the Titan with pointed ears. The small group watched as the titans roared at each other.

"A-are they going to fight?" Hanji asked blinking. As they watched the pointed ear titan fell into a fighting position. "I want him." Hanji said, she lowered her head so that the cadets wouldn't see her face and her mind was already racing with experiments she could perform on the 15-meter beast. Together they watched as the pointed ear titan smacked the other titan with such force its head flew off in a flurry of blood. Hanji squealed loudly and started dancing up and down. "OH WHERE IS LEVI WHEN I NEED HIM!" She cried.

"I- it just finished it off," Armin cut off Hanji's ranting, the woman stopped and stared at the already decomposing titan body. "It knew where the weak spot was."

"Alright guys, we need to split," Connie said. "Last thing we need is him coming our way."

"But that's exactly what we need," Hanji said spinning to face him. "Can't you see?" She asked, her hands out in front of her fingers spread into claws. "If we can capture him just imagine all of the discoveries we could make!" Connie edged away from her slightly.

"Um, S-squad Leader I don't think now is the best time for that," Connie said looking from side-to-side.

"Any other titan would have been on top of us now," Armin said, ignoring the others. Hanji looked over at Armin, the boy was deep in thought as he watched the pointy eared Titan.

"It seemed to know the skills of hand-to-hand combat," Mikasa added. "What is it?"

"That's what I want to find out!" Hanji cried.

"Let's just chalk it up to being an abnormal," Connie muttered. "Those are always an unpleasant surprise right? Let's just get out of here."

"No wait!" Hanji turned to Armin.

"You agree?!" She cried, looking at him in astonishment. Armin shook his head slightly, giving her a wary look, making Hanji wilt. Then again, her capture plan would probably end up with someone dying.

"Mikasa's tanks are empty," he reminded them.

"Oh yeah," Hanji said deflating slightly. In her excitement over the titan she had forgotten.

"Then what are we going to do?" Connie asked. "We can't clear HQ without your help." Armin lurched forward.

"There's only one thing to do," he said bending down, fingers already working to detach his gas tanks. "I know there isn't much left in them, but it's better than your empty ones."

"Armin wait," Hanji said.

"Armin!" Mikasa exclaimed as the boy quickly traded his tanks for hers.

"This is our only choice!" Armin said. "It's a waste if I keep them. But use this gas more sparingly, everyone's lives are riding on you." Hanji watched Mikasa's face as realization of her actions finally fell upon her. Now would be a good time to drive a lesson home.

"When you're beyond the walls," Hanji said bringing their attention to her. "You can't just think about yourself. Or your friends. You have to think about everyone as a whole. You, your neighbor, you sister, your best friend, even the person you may hate the most. You cannot mix personal feelings into business. Understand?" Mikasa looked up at her and nodded slightly.

"There," Armin said. "The 3DM gear is functional and I gave you my blades." He held up Mikasa's broken blade. "Just leave me with this. I would rather this be my end than being eaten alive." Hanji clenched her teeth and snatched the broken blade out of his hand.

"Stop that!" She snapped. "I've already had to leave one cadet behind today willingly. I'm not leaving another, willingly or unwillingly." She threw the broken blade to the ground.

"M-miss Hanji," Armin looked up at her.

"We are not leaving you behind," Mikasa said pulling Armin to his feet yet again.

"But there are titans everywhere," Armin protested. "You can't jump and carry me on your back."

"Oh contraire my little cadet!" Hanji said with a grin. "You figure out pretty quickly how to get an injured comrade out of harm's way and still be able to use your gear! It's part of our own training." Armin looked torn for several moments, looking back over his shoulder at the pointed ear titan.

"I have an idea," he said after several moments of silence.

"Oh? What is it dear?" Hanji asked following his gaze.

"Only you guys are capable of pulling this off, so it's really your choice, but…" Armin trailed off for a moment. "This may sound crazy, but I think he might be useful." He nodded at the titan.

"Deal, done!" Hanji said. "I don't care what it involves as long as I get to see that beauty up close!"

"He only attacks his own kind, he seems to have no interest in us," Armin continued. After nodding thanks to the now drooling Hanji. "What if we could steer him to HQ and set him loose on the other titans?"

"You've got to be kidding," Connie said, he looked from Hanji, who was now in deep thought, to Armin, who wore a determined face. "How the hell are we supposed to steer that thing?" He asked.

"If we take down the pair he's fighting now I'm almost sure he'll go look for others," Armin said. "It's not so much steering him as luring." He looked at the three people in front of him. "I think it will work I really do."

"Think?!" Connie cried.

"Even if it works, what if he all of a sudden becomes interested in us?" Hanji asked. "We don't have enough gas to outrun him for long and taking him to HQ would set him loose on the other cadets." She sighed. "It's a lot of risk, and too much of that plan is based on if the titan actually does what we need him to. But… It's our only chance."

"It's worth a shot," Mikasa said. Connie turned to her with an incredulous look on his face.

"Seriously?" He asked her. "Come on Mikasa, I know you're the sane one here." He glanced at Hanji. "N-no offense Miss Hanji."

"None taken dear," Hanji said with a grin. She knew that she was labeled as crazy to others, but perhaps once they really met the others they would know that not everyone in the Survey Corps was perfectly "normal". How could they be after all they've seen?

"If there's a small chance on Armin's gut feeling then we'll take it," Mikasa said.

"So basically we're going to recruit a titan?" Connie asked.

"Yes yes yes!" Hanji jumped up, pumping her fist into the air. "Oh I can't wait to tell Levi and Erwin about this!" She shivered in anticipation. "Maybe we can even capture him after he's done his job. He'll make the perfect test subject!" Connie finally sighed and grinned sheepishly.

"We'll look like morons if we screw this up," he said.

"If we screw this up we might not be around to see the results," Hanji muttered.

"If we don't think of how many lives we stand to save!" Armin said with a smile.

"Where there's a will there's a way," Mikasa said running towards the edge of the roof. Hanji and Armin following close behind.

"It's still nuts," Connie called from behind them. "But aw what the hell." Hanji and Armin paused slightly, just long enough for her to pick him up and carry him bridal style, her hands still clenched around the handles of her gear firmly. With her arms occupied, she had to let Mikasa lead them and hoped that she and Connie would be able to take out any titans they came across. After Mikasa took out one of the pointed eared titan's opponents, the titan itself took out the other.

"We have to be careful!" Hanji called as they swung around the strange titan in a wide berth. As they drew closer to HQ the titans numbers grew larger. "They can smell the others!" Hanji called to Mikasa. "We have to hurry and hope this plan works! If not we're all as good as gone." She could hear panicked screaming as they crashed through the windows, and saw Jean standing in the middle of the room, staring at a gaping hole in the wall.

"Mikasa! You're alive," Jean said. Hanji set Armin down and went to stand in the hole, her blades in hand just in case.

"Armin, Connie, and I are here too," Hanji sang with a grin.

"That was a close one!" She heard Connie say behind her. "I was running on fumes." He started patting Armin on the back. "You're a certified hero!" He claimed, leaving poor Jean in a state of confusion.

"Don't get too happy yet," Hanji said. "If our titan friend doesn't do what we need him to do…" She trailed off watching the pointy eared titan start fighting off the others.

"Titan friend?" Jean asked, a sneer scrolling across his face.

"Check it out!" Connie said dragging Jean over to where Hanji was standing. He pointed at the 15-meter titan in front of them. "We found an abnormal that has a bone to pick with its own kind!" He looked around, grinning wildly. "The best part? He couldn't care less about us!"

"We still know nothing about it yet Connie," Hanji reminded the boy. "Who's to say that he wouldn't turn on us when all the other titans are gone?" The bald cadet frowned slightly.

"Listen to yourself!" Jean growled as cadets started coming back into the room. "There's no way a titan would help us! You're out of your minds if you think this could work."

"It is working," Mikasa snapped. "For whatever reason he's rampaging against them. Stand back and let them do it."

"Not to mention that after this is over I'm going to capture that beauty and study him!" Hanji added. She was watching the titan fight his own kind in excitement. Never in mankind's history had anyone witnessed something like this. Just like the titan from Ilse's notebook, the one that could talk. But this time Hanji had no plans on letting this one get away. No Levi or Erwin in sight to stop her.

"Look at him go," Connie said with a laugh. Hanji nodded, her ponytail flopping frantically with the movement.

"Isn't it just amazing!" She cried. She watched for a minute longer and then clapped her hands together. "Alright," she said. "Let's head down and think about getting re-supplied so we can get out of here!" She led the cadets down and everyone broke off into small groups to rest, they'd been informed that there were titans in the supply room, so a plan would be needed before anyone was getting over the wall. Hanji herself was leaning against a wall with her eyes closed. With any luck, Nanaba and her squad would be waiting for her on the wall.

"Good news!" Jean called. "Curtesy of the Military Police, and covered with a layer of dust." He and a few others sat a few crates down, containing guns that had been stored away. Hanji pushed off the wall and joined the cadets around a blueprint of the Garrison's Headquarters. She waved off the gun that was passed her way. She knew how to use it, but she would prefer not to. Jean looked up from the middle of loading his. "Are you sure buckshot is the way to go?" He asked. "Seems Like we might as well throw spitwads."

"It won't do any lasting damage that's for sure," Hanji said. "But a distraction should be all that's needed."

"It is better than nothing," Armin said looking around. "There are seven titans in the supply room of the seven meter tall variety. If we time it perfectly, this much ammo should be enough to do the trick." The blonde and Hanji had sat with their heads together for quite a while trying to come up with a plan, as there wasn't much they could do without their gear. "Step one, we lower a group of people into the area via lift."

"Step two, when the titans come within range everyone will fire in all four directions simultaneously, blinding them," Hanji said. "It should give about a 30 second window while they heal."

"The hard part is the final step, before the titans recover seven of us swoop down from the ceiling and strike the napes," Armin said. "That's it. That's the plan. We put all our lives on the line, we screw up, and we're dead."

"That's a pretty basic principle when dealing with titans," Hanji muttered. She was proud of all of the cadets though. Despite seeing their friends die, a significant amount of them too, judging by the amount of cadets currently in the area, they were still willing to put their lives at risk on a whim if it meant a chance at living.

"We'll be having to use the seven of us most adept with the blades," Armin said. He looked up, Hanji was grinning, she had already known she'd be taking one of those spots. Armin looked from her to Annie, then to Mikasa, and Sasha, Connie, Jean, and Reiner. They would have to be perfect, they couldn't afford to mess up. "But listen," Armin said suddenly. "I'm willing to be talked out of this!"

"We have to go through with this Armin," Hanji said as gently as she could. The cadets looked to her. "The plan is risky, but it's no more risky then what I've spent my life doing for so long. What you and Eren and Mikasa had been planning to do, remember?" Armin closed his eyes and Mikasa nodded. "We have to take the titans out and get to the gas. There's no question about what we should be doing." She nodded at the seven chosen to take out the titans and led them down the stairs, ready to very carefully get in place.

"So, I'm going to ask the obvious question," she heard Connie say nervously. "Can we do this without gear?"

"No problem," Reiner said, his voice carrying. "These guys are only 4 meters tall, their weak spot is barely above eye level."

"Don't get cocky," Hanji warned them. "A titan is a titan, no matter how small." She heard Reiner snort.

"If worse comes to worse we can just shove one of these up their ass," Hanji looked over her shoulder to see him holding up his blade. She laughed, glad someone could have some humor, besides, it sounded like something Levi would say.

"Knock it off Reiner," Jean muttered. "Do you want your last words to be an ass joke?" He asked. Reiner fell silent.

"It's better than them being a shit joke," Hanji said. She heard a few muffled giggles throughout the back, Sasha and Connie most likely. Hanji motioned for everyone to be silent as they reached the bottom of the stairs. "Up to the rafters," she said. One by one they scaled a pillar and from there they carefully navigated the rafters to get to their positions, trying to keep as quiet as possible. Hanji got settled in and gripped her blades tightly, while shifting her weight so that she would have a relatively easy leap. No flips today, just a straightforward slash to the neck.

It didn't take long for the lift to be heard creaking as it started its descent. Hanji closed her eyes and took a deep breath, praying that this would work. The lift jolted to a stop, the cadets inside looking around as the titans stopped walking around aimlessly and turned towards them. As the first one came into sight, the sound of guns being cocked could be heard. Hanji waited with baited breath for the right time. Seconds felt like hours before finally.

"FIRE!" Marco yelled. The room was filled with the sounds of gunfire and together Hanji and the others stood up and started running along the rafters before making their leaps.

"Hiyah!" Hanji cried as she brought her blades swinging down on the nape of the titan in front of her. She landed easily, moving out of the way of the falling titan. She grinned and straightened up, perfect.

"I-I'm sorry!" Hanji heard Sasha stammer. She looked around to see the titan in front of the girl looming over the cadet, and beyond her another was backing Connie into a pillar. Their swings must have been too shallow. "I didn't, I didn't mean to sneak up on you." The girl continued to take steps back as the titan advanced. Hanji was already moving, even as Sasha's friends stood staring in horror.

"Hey now!" Hanji yelled to get both of the titan's attention. Only turned to look at her and started walking towards the older woman. "Someone help Connie!" Hanji yelled as she backed up carefully, aware of her surroundings. "Do you have a name?" Why waste an opportunity right?

"Is she… Is she trying to talk to it?" She heard who she thought might have been Reiner ask. She stopped moving and let the titan get closer, her eyes narrowed, grip tight on the blades in her hands. She had just opened her mouth to say something to the cadets when the titan lunged forward towards her. Hanji easily danced out of its way and laughed as it stumbled onto its face. She wasted no time cutting an arm off and climbing up its back to get to the nape before it could get up. She looked over her shoulder to see Annie standing near the titan that had been going after Connie, steam filled the room, making it hard to see anything else.

"Is everyone alright?" Hanji called. A chorus of yes's answered her, and a delayed yeah came from Sasha. "Good let's get going!" She said with a grin. She wasn't oblivious to the wary looks she received from a few of the others, and was hyper-aware of a pair of eyes burning a hole into her skull as she refilled her tanks alongside everyone else. After she restocked her blades she took a look around. A whole lot less cadets then there had been, and one obviously missing teal-eyed boy, but the remaining cadets had hope filled eyes. "We've got it." She muttered to herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So next time: Eren's powers revealed and Hanji gets overexcited… As per usual. And maybe some Nanaba thrown in finally.
> 
> As always my loves, any questions, concerns, or comments can be left as a review or you can send me a PM. I absolutely love hearing from you all!
> 
> Shimmerz

**Author's Note:**

> Well, let me know what you guys think. Um, I do know that Hanji is OOc, that does change as the story goes on though. Promise! 
> 
> Edit: I fixed the strange layout. Sorry guys, new here so it'll take a bit to get used to it! Also, thanks to everyone who has already read and left kudos. Love you all 
> 
> ~Shimmerz~


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